eetk  and  Health 


Fhomas  J.  Ryan,  D.D.S 

and. 

Edwin  E  Bowers,  M.D. 


Teeth  and  Health 


TEETH  &  HEALTH 

HOW  TO  LENGTHEN  LIFE  AND  INCREASE 
HAPPINESS  BY  PROPER  CARE 


BY 

THOMAS  J.  RYAN,  D.D.S. 

AND 

EDWIN  F.  BOWERS,  M.D. 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS 
NEW    YORK   AND   LONDON 

Cbe  "Knickerbocker  pteea 
1921 


COPYRIGHT,  1921 

BY 

G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS 


Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America 


INTRODUCTION 

A  HUMAN  being,  for  all  ordinary  purposes,  is  of 
value  to  himself  and  to  the  society  in  which  he 
lives,  only  when  he  is  alive,  and  in  a  reasonably 
good  state  of  health. 

If  he  is  merely  alive,  and  chronically  filled  with 
strange  pains  and  alarming  bodily  disorders,  he 
is  an  economic  liability — to  himself,  his  family, 
and  to  the  society  which  must  provide  for  his 
maintenance  during  hours  or  years  of  decreased 
productivity,  or  total  incapacity. 

Therefore  it  is  that  health,  and  the  things  that 
make  for  health,  are  the  most  important  subjects 
with  which  human  beings  can  concern  themselves. 
And  by  the  same  token,  and  for  the  same  reason, 
teeth,  and  the  things  that  teeth  do  and  become, 
must  be  the  solicitous  concern  of  everyone  who 
values  health,  longevity,  and  physical  and  mental 
efficiency. 

Yet  it  is  only  within  the  past  few  years — ac- 
v 

50  4  o 


Introduction 

tually  less  than  a  decade — that  the  real  signifi- 
cance of  tooth  decay,  and  of  infections  around  the 
gum  margins  and  the  roots  of  the  teeth,  has  been 
understood.  Indeed,  the  whole  matter  is  so  new, 
the  observation  so  recent,  that  it  is  the  rare  excep- 
tion to  find — outside  of  well-informed  physicians 
and  dentists — a  single  person  who  has  any  definite 
understanding  of  the  vital  necessity,  for  instance, 
of  preserving  the  first,  or  deciduous,  teeth.  Or  of 
the  importance  of  the  six-year  molars — not  only  in 
helping  to  mould  the  shape  of  the  jaws  and  face, 
but  also  in  contributing  to  the  proper  nutrition  of 
the  brain — through  their  remarkable  influence  in 
maintaining  the  normal  calibre  of  the  lymphatics 
and  blood  vessels  that  go  to  supply  the  cranial 
centres. 

It  is  almost  unbelievable  to  many  that  the 
squeezing  and  contraction  of  these  blood  vessels — 
due  to  the  abnormal  change  in  the  dental  arch 
brought  about  by  early  loss  of  these  important 
teeth — may  be  the  actual  cause  of  backwardness 
in  school  studies,  delinquencies,  degeneracies,  and 
even  of  mental  defectiveness. 

Also,  there  are  few  laymen  who  can  understand 
that  the  constant  swallowing  of  pus  from  around 

vi 


Introduction 

the  roots  of  pyorrhoeal  teeth  is  an  actual  factor  in 
the  production  of  catarrh  of  the  stomach  and 
bowels — as  well  as  digestive  troubles  of  all  kinds; 
that  crippling  attacks  of  rheumatism  are  distinctly 
traceable  to  "  focal  infection"  areas  at  the  roots 
of  decayed  teeth,  or  to  a  development  of  pus  or 
necrotic  material  from  an  imperfectly-filled  root 
canal,  an  improperly-fitted  crown,  or  a  defective 
piece  of  bridge-work. 

Yet,  that  all  these  things — and  many  more — are 
true,  is  attested  by  competent  and  accurate  ob- 
servers everywhere — men  who  are  devoting  their 
lives  to  research  work — as  well  as  by  dentists, 
putting  the  results  of  these  scientific  investiga- 
tions into  practical  use,  and  "checking  up"  on 
the  results. 

Again,  the  fact  that  the  teeth  depend  for  their 
nutrition  upon  the  food  which  is  supplied  for  their 
development — not  only  during  the  life  of  the  in- 
dividual, but  even  during  his  prenatal  existence 
— comes  to  thousands  almost  in  the  nature  of  a 
revelation. 

It  is  one  of  tfeose  standing-the-egg-on-end  propo- 
sitions— perfectly  simple  and  natural,  when  the 
connect^dn  is  explained,  but  generally  overlooked, 
s  vii 


I 

Introduction 

as  so  many  other  obvious  things  have  been  over- 
looked. 

All  these  things,  and  many  more  important 
matters  besides,  have  been  brought  out  by  my 
friend,  Dr.  Thomas  J.  Ryan,  in  this  little  book — 
which  I  consider  one  of  the  most  important  con- 
tributions to  the  cause  of  popular  medical  and 
dental  knowledge  of  recent  years. 

It  has  been  a  pleasure  and  a  privilege  to  collabo- 
rate with  Dr.  Ryan  in  the  preparation  of  this 
work — which  cannot  fail  to  have  a  profound  in- 
fluence upon  the  generally  enhanced  conception  of 
this  very  important  subject. 

Dr.  Ryan  speaks  with  authority  on  this  matter. 
He  is  qualified,  by  years  of  the  most  varied  expe- 
rience, to  deal  with  it  from  an  eminently  practical 
standpoint.  A  master  in  all  that  pertains  to  the 
mechanical  side  of  his  work,  Dr.  Ryan  is,  in  ad- 
dition, a  profound  student  of  the  medical  and 
physiological  aspects  of  dentition — as  well  as  in 
the  paramount  questions  of  diet,  which  he  has  so 
ably  treated. 

Dr.  Ryan  has  made  an  exhaustive  study  of 
dental  disease — particularly  as  it  affects  constitu- 
tional disease — and  his  superb  technic  in  X-ray 

viii 


Introduction 

diagnosis  has  been  of  immense  aid  in  corroborat- 
ing his  almost  uncanny  knowledge  of  actual  tootk 
conditions. 

I  have,  for  many  years  past,  followed  the  results 
of  his  operative  work,  as  it  influences  certain  grave 
systemic  disorders.  And,  while  many  of  these 
results  seem  almost  incredible,  I  speak  from  first- 
hand knowledge  when  I  say  that  they  are  under- 
stated, rather  than  overstated,  in  the  manuscript 
which  I  have  had  the  privilege  of  editing  and 
putting  in  book  form. 

I  know,  personally,  the  writer  of  the  remarkable 
article  which  was  printed  in  the  American  Maga- 
zine, under  the  caption  "How  I  Found  Health  in 
a  Dentist's  Chair."  I  have  seen  this  gentleman  a 
hundred  times  since  this  article  was  written.  In 
fact,  it  was  through  my  urging  that  the  writer  of 
the  article  first  consulted  Dr.  Ryan. 

And  I  know  that  the  marvellous  improvement  in 
his  general  condition  of  health  is  only  an  example 
of  what  Dr.  Ryan,  and  scientifically  trained,  pains- 
taking dentists  everywhere,  are  accomplishing  in 
equally  grave  conditions. 

The  medical  profession — and  the  human  race, 
in  general — owes  much  to  the  labour  of  such  men 

ix 


Introduction 

as  Dr.  Ryan  and  his  associates  in  the  dental  pro- 
fession. They  have  written  a  page  in  the  history 
of  medicine  which  is  altogether  brilliant  and 
glorious.  It  is  a  record  of  which  any  profession 
may  well  be  proud 

And  so  I  believe  that  the  great  good  they  have 
done  will  live  after  them,  while  the  halting  efforts 
by  which  they  gained  their  heights  of  achievement 
will  be  interred  with  their  bones. 

EDWIN  F.  BOWERS,  M.  D. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

INTRODUCTION v 

CHAPTER 

I. — THE  REAL  MEANING  OF  TEETH         .  3 

II. — TOOTH  CARE   COMMENCES  WITH  THE 

GRANDPARENTS      ....  23 

III. — WHY  THE    MOTHER    SHOULD    NURSE 

HER  CHILD 29 

IV. — WHAT  MOTHERS  SHOULD  KNOW         .  38 

V. — HELPING  BABY  WITH  HIS  TEETH        .  53 

VI. — THE  TEETH  OF  CHILDREN          .         .  67 

VII. — How  SUGAR  SUCKS  THE  LIME  OUT  OF 

TEETH 83 

VIII.— CROOKED  TEETH  AND  TWISTED  BRAINS  89 

IX. — PYORRHOEA — ITS  CAUSE  AND  CURE     .  109 

X.— FOCAL  INFECTIONS     .         .         .         .123 

XL— TEETH  AND  HEALTH          .         .         .  154 
xi 


Contents 

CHAPTER  PAGB 

XII. — EPILEPSY  MAY  BE  CAUSED  BY  TOOTH- 
DECAY          .....     166 

XIII. — WHY  WE  NEED  AN  X-RAY  EXAMINA- 
TION      176 

XIV. — How  ZONE  THERAPY  RELIEVES  TOOTH 

PAINS 1 86 

XV.— MOUTH     WASHES,      TOOTH      PASTE, 

APPLES,  AND  TOOTHBRUSHES          .     198 

XVI. — THE  DENTAL  DISPENSARY  IN  INDUSTRY    217 

XVII. — FREE   DENTAL   CLINICS — THE  COUN- 
TRY'S GREATEST  NEED  .         .         .     228 

How  I  FOUND  HEALTH  IN  A  DENTIST'S 
CHAIR 247 

INDEX 259 


xii 


Teeth  and   Health 


Teeth   and  Health 


CHAPTER  I 

THE  REAL  MEANING  OF  TEETH 

THERE  is  more  truth  than  humour  in  the  cheap 
pun  that  says  "one  can  be  what  one  chews  to  be." 
We  used  to  esteem  the  teeth  more  as  adjuncts  to  a 
pleasant  smile  than  as  practical  aids  to  long  life. 
We  regretted  their  loss  more  because  of  the  con- 
spicuous cavity  their  absence  developed  than 
because  we  believed  them  to  be  valuable  in  pre- 
serving health  and  happiness. 

Teeth  as  Beautifiers.  We  realized,  without  any 
prompting,  that  no  one  could  be  quite  as  beautiful 
as  Nature  originally  intended  him  to  be  if  he 
suffered  from  a  perceptible  shortage  of  teeth — 
especially  front  teeth — or  if  he  had  a  mouth  full 
of  crooked,  overlapping  snags — where  he  should 

3 


Teeth  and  Health 

have  had  two  rows  of  nice,  clean,  serviceable 
teeth. 

His  mouth  would  be  noticeably  out  of  harmony 
with  the  remainder  of  his  features,  and  the  entire 
facial  appearance  would  be  spoiled,  as  a  conse- 
quence. 

Talking  through  our  Teeth.  Furthermore,  we 
recognize  readily  the  function  of  teeth  in  helping 
to  form  speech.  Even  the  most  Demosthenean  and 
agile-mouthed  individual  would  be  labouring  under 
a  terrible  handicap  if  he  tried  to  say  "  She  slithered 
silently  through  the  slippery  slush,"  with  only  his 
toothless  gums  to  help  him  through  the  task.  He 
could  no  more  "speak  the  speech  trippingly"  than 
he  could  crack  any  other  kind  of  nuts. 

Yet,  it  is  only  within  a  comparatively  few  years 
that  we  have  come  to  realize  the  tyranny  of 
teeth — especially  bad  teeth.  We  are  only  now, 
after  a  half  a  million  years  spent  in  sojourn  upon 
this  terrestrial  sphere,  learning  the  painful  lesson 
that  to  spare  the  brush  spoils  the  teeth — and 
sometimes  the  child,  or  the  man  or  woman,  who 
owns  them. 

Medical  Men  Co-operating  to  Preserve  Teeth. 
And  all  over  the  country  medical  men  and  den- 

4 


The  Real  Meaning  of  Teeth 

tists  are  co-operating  in  perhaps  the  most  impor- 
tant task  of  conservation  in  the  world:  they  are 
awakening  to  the  call  of  the  child,  and  of  the 
human  race  in  general.  Everywhere,  dentists  and 
physicians  and  enlightened  men  and  women  are 
aroused  to  the  important  question  of  dental 
prophylaxis  (the  prevention  of  caries,  or  tooth- 
decay),  and  to  the  loss  of  time,  energy,  and  mental 
development  due  to  lack  of  tooth-care. 

You  Can't  Digest  your  Food  unless  you  First 
Chew  it.  Science  is  now  emphasizing  the  impor- 
tance of  teeth  in  preparing  food  for  digestion.  It  is 
also  calling  attention  to  the  very  intimate  con- 
nection between  decayed  teeth  and  a  large  number 
of  diseases  that  apparently  have  nothing  to  do 
with  teeth.  A  little  reflection  serves  to  show  that 
improperly  masticated  food- — improperly  masti- 
cated because  of  bad  teeth,  or  lack  of  teeth — is  a 
primary  cause  of  malnutrition,  resulting  in  anaemia, 
neurasthenia,  and  the  entire  pernicious  host  of 
symptoms  that  follow  chronic  indigestion  and 
auto -intoxication  from  intestinal  absorption. 

Tuberculosis  May  Have  its  Origin  in  Tooth- 
decay.  Ulcers  and  cancers  of  the  stomach  have 
been  traced  to  decayed  teeth ;  so  have  rheumatism 

5 


Teeth  and  Health 

and  diseases  of  the  kidneys.  We  are  spending 
much  time,  money,  and  thought  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  tuberculosis  and  its  prevention;  yet  it 
does  not  occur  to  many  of  us  that  unquestion- 
ably a  considerable  number  of  cases  of  tuber- 
culosis can  be  traced  directly  to  the  malnutrition 
which  results  from  improper  mastication  of 
the  food,  or  from  the  direct  infection  of  foul 
mouths. 

Many  cases  of  mouth-breathing  and  adenoids 
arise  because  of  the  lack  of  a  proper  combination 
of  brush,  tooth-paste,  and  elbow  grease — judi- 
ciously and  persistently  applied.  Decayed  teeth 
may  cause  disease  in  the  ears  and  eyes,  and  various 
other  unpleasant  or  dangerous  conditions,  more  or 
less  remote  from  the  focus  of  infection.  Ulcerated 
tonsils  and  swelling  of  the  glands  of  the  neck,  and 
those  very  serious  diseases  of  the  cavities  of  the 
facial  bones  (sinus  abscesses),  develop  quite  fre- 
quently from  infection  of  the  teeth. 

Teeth  the  Starting  Point  of  Numerous  Diseases. 
Almost  every  germ  of  a  general  infectious  na- 
ture can  be  found  in  the  cracks  and  crannies 
of  hollow  teeth — waiting  and  watching  for  a  fa- 
vourable opportunity  to  jump  out  and  pounce 

6 


The  Real  Meaning  of  Teeth 

upon  the  insufficiently-protected  or  fatigue-weak- 
ened organism. 

Measles  and  German  measles,  chicken-pox, 
whooping-cough,  mumps,  scarlet  fever,  diphtheria, 
influenza,  and  smallpox  have  bred  in  the  fertile 
soil  of  decayed  and  neglected  teeth,  and  have 
manifested  their  presence  by  starting  the  particu- 
lar kind  of  trouble  for  which  evolution  has  designed 
them. 

What  Dr.  Osier  Thinks  of  Teeth.  So  great  an 
authority  as  Dr.  Osier,  one  of  the  world's  most 
competent  medical  men,  declared  without  reserva- 
tion that  more  diseases  are  brought  about  by 
neglected  and  decayed  teeth  than  by  excessive 
indulgence  in  alcoholic  liquors,  and  that  there  is 
not  one  single  thing  more  important  to  the  public 
in  the  whole  range  of  hygiene  than  the  hygiene 
of  the  mouth. 

Nor  will  any  family  investment  have  the  eco- 
nomic importance,  or  earn  more  in  the  way  of 
physical  and  mental  dividends,  than  scrupulous 
care  of  the  teeth,  and  prompt  and  efficient  dental 
care. 

Poor  Teeth  not  Inherited.  Yet,  only  in  the 
rarest  instances  are  poor  teeth  inherited.  In  fact, 

7 


Teeth  and  Health 

we  are  coming  to  the  conclusion  that,  unless  there 
be  a  distinct  scrofulous  taint,  or  unless  the  mother, 
through  improper  diet,  fails  to  provide  for  her 
child  an  adequate  supply  of  lime  salts,  Nature 
creates  all  children  free  and  equal,  physiologically 
speaking.  So  bad  teeth  signify  neglect,  bad 
habits,  uncleanliness,  ignorance,  and  carelessness. 

Forty  Per  Cent,  of  Absences  from  School 
Brought  about  by  Tooth-decay.  It  is  asserted 
that  forty  per  cent,  of  all  absences  from  school  at- 
tendance are  brought  about  because  little  Johnny 
or  Susie  has  a  previous  engagement  with  a  tooth 
ache.  This  is  very  interesting,  as  it  touches  us 
in  our  most  vulnerable  spot,  our  pocketbooks. 
Taking  New  York  City  as  an  example,  67,000 
children  fail  in  promotion  to  higher  grades  each 
year,  owing  to  deficient  scholarship,  blamable  on 
compulsory  absence  from  the  classrooms.  While 
26,800  of  them  are  kept  from  school  on  account  of 
pain  or  ulceration  in  their  teeth. 

To  teach  the  young  idea  how  to  shoot  costs 
thirty-six  dollars  a  year  a  youngster ;  so  that  when 
these  children  have  to  duplicate  a  year's  work  we 
lose  a  million  dollars.  The  loss  of  that  sum  falls 
on  the  parents  who  have  to  pay  the  taxes.  But 

8 


The  Real  Meaning  of  Teeth 

the  greatest  sufferer  is  the  child  himself,  who  not 
only  has  to  bear  the  pain,  but  becomes  apathetic 
and  discouraged  at  his  lack  of  progress,  and  seizes 
the  first  excuse  for  leaving  school  and  swelling  the 
ranks  of  unskilled  workers. 

Between  the  sixth  and  twelfth  years — -those 
golden  years  of  satchel  and  shining  morning  face — 
the  teeth  are  most  helpless  and  dependent.  Dur- 
ing this  period  the  first  teeth  are  lost — their  loss 
being  accompanied  by  considerable  decay — the 
permanent  teeth  meanwhile  coming  in.  Tooth  nu- 
trition is  interfered  with  by  the  pressure  of  the 
second  tooth  pushing  outward.  In  addition  to  all 
this  misery,  the  poisonous  germs  from  diseased 
teeth  lower  the  child's  vitality,  making  him  more 
susceptible  to  infectious  diseases.  This  is  one  of 
the  chief  reasons  why  the  children  of  the  poor 
succumb  more  rapidly  to  these  disorders  than  do 
the  children  of  wealthier  families.  The  poorer 
parents  have  no  knowledge  of  dental  prophylaxis. 
They  know  little  or  nothing  of  the  necessity  of 
keeping  the  mouth  clean,  and  public  health  au- 
thorities, in  general,  have  made  little  or  no  effort 
to  dispel  this  ignorance.  Consequently,  disease 
germs  find  ready  entrance  into  these  unclean 

9 


Teeth  and  Health 

mouths,  and  establish  therein  most  favourable 
grounds  for  residence  and  propagation. 

The  most  Important  Tooth  we  Have.  The 
first  of  the  permanent  teeth,  the  sixth-year  molar, 
is  by  far  the  most  important  tooth  we  have.  It 
is  the  keystone  of  the  dental  arch,  and  determines 
to  a  great  extent  the  position  of  all  the  other  teeth. 

When  it  is  lost,  Nature  makes  a  determined 
effort  to  close  the  vacant  space.  This  usually 
results  in  foreshortening  the  jaw,  and  throws  the 
entire  articulation  "out  of  joint."  It  is  one  of  the 
chief  causes  of  irregularity  in  the  position  of  later 
teeth,  and  it  may  be  here  remarked  that  if  these 
sixth-year  molars  were  preserved  as  they  should 
be,  few  children  would  ever  develop  "bird"  or 
"fox"  faces,  or  become  mouth-breathers. 

Efficiency  Depends  on  Good  Teeth.  This 
brings  us  back  to  the  question  of  teeth  and  effic- 
iency. We  know  positively  that  efficiency  depends 
upon  teeth. 

A  short  time  ago  an  epoch-marking  experiment 
was  tried  out  in  the  Marion  School  in  Cleveland, 
Ohio.  It  was  contended  by  the  chairman  of  the 
oral  hygiene  committee  of  the  National  Den- 
tal Association  that  thousands  of  children  were 

10 


The  Real  Meaning  of  Teeth 

thrown  yearly  upon  the  scrap  heap  of  deficiency, 
mediocrity,  or  crime  because  of  a  decrease  in  men- 
tal and  physical  deficiency,  due  to  carious  teeth. 
Permission  was  given  by  the  Cleveland  Board 
of  Education  for  this  committee  to  make  an  ex- 
haustive experiment  to  determine  once  and  for 
all  whether  there  was  any  appreciable  connection 
between  teeth,  morals,  and  brains. 

The  Marion  School  was  selected  for  the  reason 
that  it  seemed  to  offer  least  favourable  conditions 
for  any  increase  of  efficiency.  It  is  in  a  congested 
section  of  the  city,  packed  with  all  grades  of 
poverty,  from  the  picturesque  to  the  stolid  and 
sordid.  Every  note  in  the  gamut  of  misery  and 
crime  is  sounded  within  hearing  distance  of  this 
schoolhouse  bell. 

A  general  dental  inspection  of  the  entire  school 
was  made  by  ten  dentists  and  their  assistants, 
under  the  direction  of  the  chairman. 

Only  Three  out  of  846  with  Perfect  Teeth.  Out 
of  846  children  examined,  only  three  were  found 
whose  mouth  conditions  were  perfect — one  a  little 
Slav  girl,  another  a  Russian  boy,  and  the  third  a 
young  coloured  boy.  Every  other  boy  or  girl  in 
the  school  had  cavities,  or  other  evidences  of 

ii 


Teeth  and  Health 

decay,  or  else  had  lost  one  or  more  permanent 
teeth,  while  dozens  of  cases  of  malformed  jaws 
and  faulty  occlusion  (improper  alinement  of  the 
teeth  on  the  biting  surface)  were  noted. 

Forty  of  the  worst  of  these  cases  were  selected. 
All  the  children  were  chosen  from  grades  between 
the  fourth  and  the  eighth — for  the  reason  that 
below  the  fourth  they  could  not  intelligently  co- 
operate, and  above  the  eighth  they  would  be  too 
soon  graduated,  so  that  the  statistical  value  of 
the  experiment  would  be  lost.  The  test  was  to 
prove — if  it  was  susceptible  of  proof — the  efficacy 
of  healthy  mouth  conditions,  and  their  effect  in 
maintaining  a  high  order  of  physical  and  mental 
development. 

All  varieties  of  children  were  represented  in 
this  experimental  class.  Among  them  were  some 
of  good  mentality.  Others  were  of  the  poorest. 
A  physician  had  pronounced  one  of  the  little 
girls  a  mental  defective.  There  were  tractable 
pupils,  and  there  were  incorrigibles.  Three  were 
truants  on  the  verge  of  being  taken  into  the  Ju- 
venile Court.  One  obstreperous  and  mischievous 
boy — whose  sole  object  in  life  seemed  to  be  to 
make  trouble  in  the  schoolroom  and  on  the  play- 

12 


The  Real  Meaning  of  Teeth 

grounds — already  had  his  papers  made  out  for 
transfer  to  Boys'  School,  a  sort  of  reformed 
reformatory. 

The  forty  children  were  assembled,  and  the 
intent  of  the  experiment  was  explained  to  them. 
They  were  to  consult  their  parents,  and  report  as 
to  whether  or  not  they  would  be  prepared  to  co- 
operate in  the  work.  It  was  required  that  they 
should  permit  the  official  dentist  to  put  their 
teeth  in  perfect  condition — without  charge,  of 
course — then  brush  their  teeth  three  times  daily, 
brushes  and  tooth  powder  being  furnished  free. 

Mending  Brains  through  the  Teeth.  They 
were  also  to  undergo  a  series  of  psychological 
tests — similar  to  those  devised  by  Professor 
Kraepelin,  in  his  epoch -marking  studies  as  to  the 
effects  of  alcohol  upon  the  co-ordinating  faculties 
and  the  work-ability  of  his  subjects — and  were  to 
attend  an  occasional  meeting. 

As  an  added  inducement,  if  they  faithfully 
lived  up  to  the  requirements,  each  pupil  was  to 
receive  a  five-dollar  gold-piece  for  Christmas.  If 
they  failed,  they  were  to  be  dropped  from  the  class. 

After  three  days,  when  the  second  meeting  was 
called,  five  children  withdrew.  The  prospective 

13 


Teeth  and  Health 

ordeal  of  having  their  teeth  put  in  order,  with 
the  heavy  burden  of  scrubbing  them  three  times 
daily,  was  too  much  for  them.  So  the  remainder 
were  instructed  in  the  proper  way  of  brushing  the 
teeth;  that  is,  with  a  rolling  motion  of  the  brush 
in  an  up  and  down  direction,  not  across,  and  cleans- 
ing the  inner  as  well  as  the  outside  surfaces.  To 
be  certain  that  no  particles  of  food  remained  even 
after  the  most  careful  brushing,  a  thread  of  dental 
floss  was  to  be  passed  between  the  teeth. 

About  this  time  Dr.  Wallin,  an  expert  psycholo- 
gist, put  the  little  band  through  a  series  of  psycho- 
logical experiments.  These  were  calculated  to 
test  the  memory,  accuracy,  quickness  of  percep- 
tion, rapidity  and  precision  of  association  of  ideas, 
and  rapid  calculation.  He  made  six  tests — two 
before  work  was  begun  on  the  teeth,  two  when 
they  were  being  treated,  and  two  after  a  year  had 
elapsed.  The  time  and  all  technic  and  methods  of 
the  test  were  absolutely  uniform. 

These  children  were  also  taught  how  to  chew 
their  food  properly,  and  the  action  of  saliva  was 
made  clear  to  them.  They  were  visited  in  their 
homes  at  irregular  intervals,  and  their  work  was 
closely  scrutinized.  During  the  next  few  months 

14 


The  Real  Meaning  of  Teeth 

eight  more  were  dropped  for  failing  to  carry  out 
some  essential  of  the  test — neglect  in  brushing  the 
teeth,  food  bolting,  or  washing  down  boluses  of 
food  with  tea  or  water  before  they  were  completely 
masticated. 

Every  assistance  was  accorded  the  children  in 
perfecting  their  oral  conditions ;  but  not  one  word 
was  said  to  aid  their  mental  condition,  except  as 
it  concerned  their  mouth  toilet.  And  nothing  was 
done  or  said  to  single  them  out  from  the  rest  of 
the  school.  In  fact,  so  unobtrusive  was  the  work 
that  many  of  the  teachers  had  not  the  slightest 
idea  as  to  which  of  their  pupils  were  in  the  dental 
class.  All  improvement  that  was  manifested 
could  be  definitely  ascribed  to  oral  hygiene  alone. 

An  Astonishing  Gain  in  Physical  and  Mental 
Ability.  When,  after  a  year  of  this  regime,  the 
final  records  were  made  by  Dr.  Wallin,  the  average 
gain  in  the  psychological  tests  for  the  twenty- 
seven  children  was  99.8  per  cent. — almost  double 
what  even  the  most  optimistic  of  the  committee 
had  predicted  it  would  be.  Not  only  was  the 
mental  gain  most  pronounced,  but  distinct  physi- 
cal improvement  was  evident  in  every  case,  and 
a  spirit  of  self-respect  that  seemed  to  overcome 

15 


Teeth  and  Health 

the  tendency  toward  truancy,  disobedience,  and 
incorrigibility  had  developed.  The  more  the 
children  had  need  of  it,  the  more  they  seemed  to 
improve. 

One  girl  made  the  astonishing  increase  of  444 
per  cent.,  and  another  101  per  cent.  Six  of  the 
pupils  completed  their  thirty-eight  weeks  of  school- 
work  in  thirty-four  weeks,  and  one  bright  boy  did 
two  years'  work  in  one  year.  Several  girls  who 
started  the  tests  with  sallow  complexions  and 
pimpled  faces,  at  their  conclusion  had  bright, 
clear  eyes  and  skins  and  rosy  cheeks.  One  child, 
who  had  suffered  greatly  from  flatulency  and  sick 
headache,  was  entirely  relieved. 

This  experiment,  now  noted  in  medical  annals, 
proved  conclusively  that  by  keeping  the  teeth  in 
perfect  condition,  and  living  up  to  the  laws  of 
mouth  hygiene,  twenty-seven  children  had  almost 
doubled  their  mental  ability,  had  gained  in 
strength  and  in  bodily  and  mental  endurance,  and 
had  developed  marked  improvement  in  personal 
appearance  and  in  their  moral  natures. 

How  Society  Benefits  by  Adequate  Tooth-care, 
None  will  deny  that  the  community  benefits^ 
economically  and  socially,  when  its  children  are 

16 


The  Real  Meaning  of  Teeth 

improved  physically,  mentally,  and  morally.  So 
there  should  be  no  question  as  to  the  necessity  of 
a  nation-wide  movement  favouring  oral  prophy- 
laxis, particularly  when  it  is  remembered  that  only 
eight  per  cent,  of  the  total  population  of  the 
United  States  has  any  conception  of  the  value  of 
teeth,  or  pay  proper  attention  to  them.  The  other 
ninety-two  per  cent,  are  content  to  suffer  the  pangs 
of  toothache,  and  go  through  life  with  offensive 
breaths  and  unhealthy  bodies — until  they  sum- 
mon sufficient  fortitude  to  have  the  teeth  treated, 
filled,  or  else  extracted. 

More  than  seventy -five  per  cent,  of  all  school 
children  in  the  world  suffer  from  some  form  of 
dental  disease.  And  yet  we  are,  in  the  main, 
neglecting  this  most  important  branch  of  pre- 
ventive medicine.  It  is  true  that  some  of  our 
more  advanced  cities  are  interesting  themselves, 
to  a  greater  or  less  degree,  in  the  work,  and  the 
dentists — to  their  great  honour  as  a  hard-working, 
conscientious,  and  learned  profession — are  giving 
liberally  of  their  time  and  thought  in  the  effort. 
But  the  merest  surface  of  the  dental  needs  of  the 
human  race  has  thus  far  been  touched.  It  will 
require  years  of  education,  with  inconceivable  tact 

17 


Teeth  and  Health 

and  patience,  to  drive  home  the  idea  that  a  clean 
tooth  rarely  or  never  decays;  that  no  tooth  ever 
can  be  too  clean ;  and  that  no  tooth  should  ever  be 
extracted  while  there  is  the  slightest  hope  of 
saving  it  to  a  life  of  usefulness. 

Preserve  the  "Milk  Teeth."  Every  parent 
should  remember  that  the  longer  the  "milk 
teeth"  (the  child's  first  teeth)  can  be  kept,  the 
more  regular  the  permanent  teeth  will  be,  and  the 
more  perfect  the  shape  of  the  mouth  and  jaws; 
also  that  the  proper  time  to  begin  the  toilet  of 
the  teeth  is  when  they  are  still  under  the  gums  of 
the  child.  The  care  of  a  baby's  mouth  should 
begin  when  it  is  yet  a  nursling.  Careful  wiping 
with  a  piece  of  clean  linen  moistened  in  warm 
water  will  do  wonders  to  keep  tender  gums  in 
sound,  healthy  condition — and  incidentally  will 
sweeten  the  infant's  breath. 

At  the  mature  age  of  two  the  use  of  a  small  and 
very  soft  toothbrush  should  be  begun,  and  this 
should  be  continued  until  the  child  is  102.  After 
that  it  will  no  longer  be  necessary  to  clean  the 
teeth ;  but  in  all  the  intervening  years  cleanliness 
should  be  enforced — by  martial  law,  if  necessary. 

It  may  also  be  remembered  that  during  the 
18 


The  Real  Meaning  of  Teeth 

time  the  second  teeth  are  coming  in — between  the 
ages  of  six  and  twelve — the  child's  jaws  are  as 
plastic  as  modelling  clay,  and  if  there  are  any 
irregularities  in  the  growth  of  the  teeth  they  can 
be  corrected  by  a  skilled  dentist  before  they  pro- 
duce permanent  disfigurement. 

Straightening  Brains  through  the  Teeth.  In 
that  form  of  malocclusion  where  one  or  more 
teeth  ramble  off  from  the  main  herd  in  a  forward 
or  backward  direction,  or  cut  their  way  through 
the  gums  at  the  wrong  places,  a  good  orthodontist 
(as  the  dental  specialist  is  called),  with  the  aid  of 
time,  a  few  pieces  of  wire,  and  a  gold  band  clamped 
on  some  of  the  teeth,  can  perform  wonders.  Al- 
most any  ordinary  deformity,  and  many  extra- 
ordinary ones,  are  corrected  permanently  by  these 
experts. 

Parents  should  also  teach  children  to  use  all 
their  teeth.  Both  sides  of  the  mouth  are  equally 
in  need  of  exercise.  If  one  side  is  favoured  at 
the  expense  of  the  other,  the  other  will  begin  soon 
to  show  evidences  of  irregularity  and  decay. 

Be  very  certain  to  scrub  and  rub,  or  if  necessary 
have  a  dentist  scale  off  or  polish  any  and  all  brown 
spots  when  they  first  make  their  appearance; 

19 


Teeth  and  Health 

otherwise  they  will  soon  become  black  spots,  and 
a  little  later  cavities. 

It  is  also  advisable  to  refrain  from  picking  the 
teeth  with  a  pin,  a  fork,  or  the  point  of  a  knife. 
Quill  toothpicks  only  should  be  employed,  or  better 
still,  dental  floss. 

The  Lesson  of  the  "  Movie."  The  New  York 
Dental  Society  has  lately  succeeded  in  having  a 
regular  system  of  instruction  in  mouth  hygiene 
introduced  into  the  public  schools.  To  focus  the 
pupils'  attention  and  deepen  the  impression  of 
the  lesson,  they  are  employing  moving  pictures  to 
convey  the  moral  and  adorn  the  tale. 

The  first  "movie"  scene  shows  Mr.  Jones  with 
a  grouch  that  is  a  cross  between  a  bear  with  a  sore 
head  and  a  sudden -tempered  gentleman  who  has 
just  hit  a  thumb  instead  of  a  tack.  Corporal 
Jones  is  a  victim  of  toothache.  He  opens  his 
mouth  and  shows  where  the  ache  comes  from, 
after  which  he  resumes  being  a  grouch. 

His  little  daughter  Mary,  after  a  most  unenjoy- 
able  breakfast,  goes  to  school,  and  there  is  intro- 
duced for  the  first  time  to  a  toothbrush  and  its 
use  explained  to  her.  A  great  light  dawns  upon 
Mary's  horizon.  She  sees  her  father  in  his  true 

20 


The  Real  Meaning  of  Teeth 

colours — not  as  a  grumbling  man  hater,  but  as  a 
martyr  to  aching  teeth,  plus  exaggerated  ideas  as 
to  how  painful  dentistry  is. 

Mary  persuades  Major  Jones  to  go  to  a  dentist — 
probably  one  who  uses  nitrous  oxide  and  oxygen — 
and  have  his  teeth  put  in  order.  So  pleased  is 
Colonel  Jones  with  the  results  that  he  next  orders 
the  whole  family  off  to  the  dentist.  The  final 
scene  shows  General  Jones,  beaming  and  happy, 
surrounded  by  his  flock,  also  beaming  and  happy. 

Insurance  People  also  Looking  into  Teeth.  An- 
other indication  of  awakening  public  interest  in 
dental  prophylaxis  is  the  fact  that  life  insurance 
people  are  now  looking  into  hollow  teeth.  They 
are  finding  out  many  things  that  will  save  them 
millions  of  dollars  in  death  claims  when  they  have 
completed  their  investigations  and  are  ready  to 
put  their  knowledge  to  practical  uses. 

Preventive  dentistry  has  added  not  only  to  the 
length  of  life,  but  also  to  its  breadth  and  depth, 
measured  in  terms  of  efficiency  and  happiness: 
and  happiness,  it  will  be  remembered,  Schopen- 
hauer defines  as  freedom  from  pain.  J 

Scientific  dentists  all  over  the  world  now  believe 
that  at  least  eighty  per  cent,  of  all  dental  troubles 

21 


Teeth  and  Health 

can  be  prevented  by  properly  caring  for  the  teeth 
from  infancy  to  old  age.  The  day  is  rapidly  ap- 
proaching when  a  toothless,  snaggle-jawed  indi- 
vidual, with  a  prominent  breath,  or  a  lump  on  his 
face  that  resembles  the  rear  elevation  of  a  billiard 
ball,  will  be  arrested  on  sight  by  the  medical  po- 
lice, and  rushed  post  haste  to  a  dental  clinic,  there 
to  be  detained  until  he  is  once  more  fit  to  be  at 
large  among  his  fellow  men.  This  is  only  fair  to 
himself  and  to  the  society  he  infests. 

In  those  halcyon  days  to  come  we'll  know  more 
about  the  menace  of  dental  infections.  We  shall 
understand  better  the  necessity  of  prophylaxis, 
just  as  we  now  understand  the  necessity  of  seg- 
regating contagious  diseases.  And  with  these 
things  in  mind  well  not  only  be  able,  but  we'll  be 
very  willing  to  put  into  practical  application  our 
knowledge  of  the  intimate  relations  existing  be- 
tween teeth  and  health.  For  we  will  have  dis- 
covered, and  profited  by,  our  rapidly  increasing 
knowledge  as  to  the  real  and  fundamental  meaning 
of  teeth. 


22 


CHAPTER  II 

TOOTH  CARE  COMMENCES  WITH  THE  GRANDPARENTS 

OLIVER  WENDELL  HOLMES  has  told  us  that  the 
education  of  the  child  logically  commences  with 
the  grandparents.  By  the  same  token  the  nutri- 
tion of  the  teeth  commences  logically  with  these 
same  revered  individuals. 

Poor  Teeth  Largely  Due  to  Poor  Food.  For 
poor  teeth  are  largely  the  result  of  inadequate 
food,  and  consequent  poor  nutrition — not  only  of 
the  individual  himself,  but  also  of  his  parents,  and 
perhaps  also  his  grandparents. 

Indeed,  I  do  not  believe  it  is  possible  to  over- 
emphasize the  importance  of  the  fact  that  tooth- 
decay  and  tooth  loss  could  quite  generally  be 
prevented  if  the  parents,  and  the  individual  him- 
self, had  eaten  the  proper  kind  of  food. 

I  am  convinced  that  if  dentists  everywhere 
would  only  teach  this  fact,  and  if  medical  and 
dental  examiners  in  public  schools  could  only  be 

23 


Teeth  and  Health 

made  to  realize  the  importance  of  this  subject,  and 
if  they  would  educate  both  parents  and  school- 
children in  regard  to  these  deficiencies,  much  more 
could  be  accomplished  than  would  be  achieved  by 
all  the  recommendations  for  hygienic  care,  and 
prophylaxis  and  decay -prevention  that  could  pos- 
sibly be  inculcated. 

Not  Minimizing  the  Importance  of  Dental 
Cleanliness.  I  do  not  mean  by  this  statement  to 
minimize  the  value  of  prophylaxis  or  of  dental 
cleanliness  in  general,  nor  of  the  excellent  effects 
of  unremitting  devotion  to  the  toothbrush.  All 
these  are  splendid  measures,  and  are  accomplish- 
ing a  wonderful  amount  of  good.  But,  admirable 
as  they  are,  they  are  only  a  means  of  locking  the 
stable  door  after  the  theft  of  the  equine.  And  the 
equine  in  this  case  is  the  tooth  structure  itself. 
This  is  robbed  of  phosphates  and  calcium,  for  the 
reason  that  children,  as  well  as  adults,  are  fed  too 
much  "pap,"  breakfast  cereals  and  other  deminer- 
alized  food  substances — including  white  bread, 
sugar,  and  meat — which  latter  is  emphatically 
deficient  in  lime  salts  and  other  tooth-building 
material. 

In  fact,  even  vegetables,  as  they  are  ordinarily 
24 


Tooth  Care 

cooked  in  this  country  today — with  the  skins 
removed  and  the  valuable  cell  salts  thrown  down 
the  kitchen  sink — are  lacking  in  these  valuable 
substances. 

Where  Dentists  Don't  Go  Far  Enough.  Of 
course,  it  cannot  be  denied  that  it  is  highly  neces- 
sary for  dentists  to  prescribe  mouth-washes  and 
tooth-pastes,  and  to  give  elaborate  instructions  for 
using  dental  floss  and  for  brushing  the  teeth  regu- 
larly— in  just  such  a  way.  This  is  very  important 
information,  and  fulfils  a  very  important  purpose. 

But  it  would  be  much  better  if  dentists  every- 
where would  teach  the  people  that  the  great  cause 
of  tooth-destruction  lies  principally  in  lime  and 
phosphorus  starvation,  brought  about  by  eating 
— from  the  time  the  mother  first  conceives  the 
child,  until  the  individual  dies  of  old  age — a  diet 
robbed  of  its  minerals,  totally  deficient  in  the  lime 
and  phosphorus  necessary,  not  only  to  make 
teeth  and  bones,  but  also  to  make  nervous  systems 
and  brains,  and  to  keep  the  marvellous  functions  of 
nutrition — regulated  by  the  activities  of  the  duct- 
less glands — from  going  awry,  and  making  a  mess 
of  the  whole  organic  structure — mental,  physical, 
and  moral. 


Teeth  and  Health 

Learning  from  Dr.   McCollum's  Rats.     The 

epoch-marking  work  of  Dr.  E.  V.  McCollum,  of 
the  School  of  Hygiene  and  Public  Health  of  Johns 
Hopkins  University,  has  proved  conclusively  that 
the  removal  of  the  vital  mineral  salts  from  our 
wheat,  sugar,  and  cereal  grains  is  one  of  the  most 
far-reaching  and  destructive  influences  that  con- 
fronts the  American  people  today. 

Using  rats  and  other  small  animals  as  subjects, 
Prof.  McCollum  demonstrated  that  these  rodents 
could  be  sickened — and  even  killed — by  feeding 
them  exclusively  on  a  diet  deficient  in  certain  of 
these  elements  essential  to  growth  and  nutrition. 

It  isn't  the  Teeth  alone  that  are  Robbed  by 
Improper  Food.  And  what  is  true  of  animals  in 
the  laboratory  is  equally,  or  more,  true  of  human 
beings.  Thousands  of  cases  of  nervous  and  physi- 
cal disease — of  every  conceivable  kind,  ranging 
from  scurvy  and  pellagra  to  indigestion  and 
neuritis — are  caused  by  nothing  more  or  less  than 
an  improperly  selected  diet,  or  a  diet  in  which 
there  is  a  deficiency  of  mineral  salts  or  other  sub- 
stances that  have  a  profound  effect,  not  only  on 
the  nutrition  of  tooth  and  bone  structure,  but  on 
the  very  function  of  life  itself. 

26 


Tooth  Care 

Keep  away  from  Refined  Sugars.  It  is  for  this 
reason — more  than  because  of  the  direct  action  of 
their  acids  upon  the  teeth — that  I  strongly  urge 
mothers  to  withhold  refined  sugar,  and  candies 
made  of  i  efined  sugar,  from  their  children. 

For  these  sugars,  lacking  in  lime  and  iron  and 
other  mineral  salts,  by  their  capacity  for  selective 
affinity,  abstract  these  salts  from  the  bones  and 
teeth  and  tissues,  thereby  weakening  the  child's 
vitality,  and  producing  marked  deterioration  in 
all  the  structures  of  which  they  are  essential 
constituents. 

We  Use  too  much  Sugar  anyhow.  It  must  be 
remembered  that  every  particle  of  starch  con- 
sumed— in  bread  and  in  potatoes  and  other  vege- 
tables, must  be  converted  into  sugar  before  it  can 
be  utilized  by  the  system  to  furnish  heat  and 
energy.  So  that  normally,  the  child  gets  all  the 
sugar  he  needs,  anyhow. 

However,  if  there  is  a  craving  for  more,  this 
can  best  be  supplied  either  by  brown,  unrefined 
sugar  or,  '  'natural "  molasses,  or  else  by  honey, 
maple  syrup,  and  all  forms  of  sweet  fruit. 

In  fact,  fruit  furnishes,  in  its  levulose  and  grape 
sugar,  a  rich  and  dependable  source  of  energy. 

27 


Teeth  and  Health 

Especially  such  fruits  as  dates,  figs,  and  raisins — 
which  are  extra  rich  in  food  and  fuel  values — as 
well  as  in  essential  mineral  salts.  And  all  without 
any  danger  of  undermining  the  tooth  and  bone 
nutrition,  or  the  general  health  of  your  child. 

Robust  Health,  Sound  Teeth,  and  the  Balanced 
Diet.  So  there  can  be  no  question  as  to  the  im- 
portance of  an  adequate  diet — not  only  for  the 
child,  but  also  for  its  parents — in  maintaining  that 
proper  balance  of  nutrition  that  makes  for  robust 
health,  clear  brains,  red  blood,  steady  nerves,  and 
sound  teeth. 


CHAPTER  III 

WHY  THE  MOTHER  SHOULD  NURSE  HER  CHILD 

THERE  is  only  one  source  from  which  a  child's 
physical  and  dental  equipment  can  be  obtained — 
and  this  is  from  its  mother.  This  is  why  it  is 
absolutely  imperative  that  mothers  should  see  to 
their  own  condition  of  nutrition — if  they  would 
have  their  child  well  nourished.  For  this  will 
secure  to  the  baby  the  necessary  calcium  salts 
from  which  to  build  its  teeth  and  bones,  as  well  as 
to  provide  the  child  with  the  best  there  is  in 
the  way  of  food — which  best  is  food  prepared  as 
Nature  intended  it  to  be  prepared. 

Now,  many  mothers  who  are  normally  fit  to 
nurse  their  babies  fail  to  discharge  this  important 
duty,  chiefly  because  they  do  not  realize  the  grave 
results  that  this  neglect  of  obligation  may  entail 
upon  the  child — not  only  for  the  immediate  pres- 
ent, but  for  all  the  days  of  its  life. 

Better  Teeth  from  Mother's  Milk.  Therefore, 
29 


Teeth  and  Health 

it  cannot  be  too  strongly  impressed  upon  mothers 
that  the  tooth  and  bone  structure  of  their  babies 
will  suffer  as  a  result  of  their  defection.  No  so- 
cial obligation  of  the  mother  should  ever  be 
permitted  to  interfere  with  her  regular  feeding 
of  her  child — from  the  maternal  font — if  the 
milk  is  adequate  in  richness  and  quantity,  and 
if  she  is  physically  able  to  stand  the  strain  of 
lactation. 

If  the  milk  is  deficient  in  any  essential  qualities, 
the  mother  should  see  to  it  that  she  increases  her 
available  supply  of  a  lacteal  fluid,  rich  in  mineral 
salts,  by  herself  drinking  liberal  quantities  of  milk 
and  chocolate,  and  by  taking  the  vegetable  oils — 
such  as  olive  oil  and  mazola — which  have  been 
found  particularly  effective  for  increasing  the  milk 
supply. 

Don't  Cheat  the  Baby  of  Even  Half  its  Food 
Supply.  Even  if  the  mother's  milk  should  be 
deficient  in  amount,  she  should  make  every  sacri- 
fice to  give  her  baby  at  least  all  she  has.  If  she 
can  supply  only  half  the  milk  her  child  needs — 
supplementing  the  remainder  with  a  good  modi- 
fication of  certified  cow's  milk — there  will  be  a  fifty 
per  cent,  clear  gain  to  the  baby,  anyhow.  The 

30 


The  Mother  Should  Nurse  Her  Child 

youngster  will  have  this  much  advantage  over  the 
child  fed  exclusively  on  the  bottle. 

Pasteurized  Milk  not  so  Digestible.  It  should 
be  clearly  understood  that  any  milk,  provided  from 
any  source  other  than  the  mother  herself — es- 
pecially when  pasteurized — or  even  heated  to  a 
temperature  above  body  heat,  undergoes  a  chemi- 
cal change. 

Its  protein  constituents,  and  the  mineral  salts 
so  necessary  to  the  development  of  the  child's 
teeth  and  bone,  as  well  as  to  his  muscles  and  blood 
cells,  become  partly  disorganized. 

The  casein  is  rendered  more  tough  and  difficult 
of  digestion.  It  is  not  split  up  into  the  fine  floccu- 
lent  curds  that  Nature  provides  for  the  infant 
when  its  mother  furnishes  its  milk. 

This  makes  all  the  difference  in  the  world  in  the 
development  of  the  baby — and  especially  in  the 
normal  development  of  its  teeth  and  bones. 

Pasteurized  Milk  Better  than  Dirty  Milk,  but 
not  as  Good  as  Clean  Milk.  Of  course,  pasteur- 
ized milk  is  infinitely  better  than  dirty,  germ-in- 
fested milk,  and  the  most  elemental  principles  of 
common  sense  would  dictate  its  use  in  preference 
to  the  use  of  milk  that  might  produce  disease. 


Teeth  and  Health 

But  this  does  not  alter  the  fact  that  clean,  "raw" 
milk  is  a  better  food  than  "treated"  milk,  and 
that,  if  it  can  be  secured  it  should  always  be  used 
in  its  natural  state. 

Don't  Wean  Baby  too  soon.  Nor  should  the 
baby  be  weaned  as  long  as  there  is  an  edequate 
milk  supply,  nor  as  long  as  the  arrangement  does 
not  unduly  exhaust  the  mother. 

For  the  baby,  weaned  too  soon,  and  fed  on  a 
milk  modification  deficient  in  essential  mineral 
salts,  will  develop  rickets.  Its  bones  will  be 
softened,  its  teeth  will  erupt  tardily  and  irregu- 
larly. Its  muscles,  deprived  of  the  necessary  lime 
salts,  will  twitch  and  quiver.  Its  nerves  will  be 
unstable. 

On  the  other  hand,  many  mothers,  with  that 
marvellous  capacity  for  self-sacrifice  characteristic 
of  mothers — the  touch-stone  of  the  truest  and  ten- 
derest  love  in  all  the  world — nurse  their  little  ones 
when  the  strain  of  lactation  is  almost  disastrous 
to  their  own  enfeebled  constitutions. 

Nothing  more  Wonderful  in  Life  than  Mother- 
love.  They  are  literally  robbing  their  very  hearts' 
blood  of  its  nutritive  elements — pabulum  that  is 
vitally  needed  to  repair  and  reinforce  their  own 

32 


The  Mother  Should  Nurse  Her  Child 

debilitated  physical  structures — in  order  that  the 
child  of  their  flesh  and  bone  may  gain  full  measure 
of  its  natural  sustenance. 

While  fully  appreciating  the  beautiful  mother- 
love  that  prompts  the  sacrifice,  I  yet  feel  that  the 
best  interests  of  all  concerned  are  not  served  by 
the  mother  continuing  to  nurse  her  child  after 
Nature's  warning  signal  has  been  flashed. 

For  excessive  lactation,  or  too  long-continued 
nursing  of  a  sturdy,  robust  youngster,  tends,  first 
and  foremost,  to  depreciate  both  the  quantity  and 
the  quality  of  the  mother's  milk;  and  next,  to  rob 
her  of  vital  force  and  nutrient  material  which 
should  be  utilized  for  cell  reconstruction. 

Danger  in  Drain  on  the  Mother.  This,  if  the 
mother  should  happen  to  be  anaemic  or  run-down, 
might  prove  to  be  just  that  added  amount  of  drain 
upon  the  system  which  would  be  very  likely  to 
predispose  her  toward  tuberculosis,  or  the  devel- 
opment of  some  wasting  disease  of  far-reaching 
consequence. 

And  further,  if  there  should  happen  to  be  other 
children,  it  would  not  be  just  to  them,  nor  to 
society  at  large,  for  the  mother  to  risk  the  immi- 
nent danger  of  a  decline,  or  a  serious  depreciation 
8  33 


Teeth  and  Health 

in  her  vitality  and  mother-efficiency,  by  continu- 
ing to  nurse  her  last-born  at  the  risk  of  imperilling 
her  own  health. 

So,  it  would  seem  clear  that  the  safe  and  sensible 
course  to  pursue  in  connection  with  this  question 
is  for  the  mother  to  build  up  her  health  and  her 
milk-secreting  power,  by  observing  all  the  laws  of 
hygiene  and  health  that  the  exacting  duties  of  a 
mother  will  let  her  observe. 

How  the  Mother  May  Build  Vitality.  A  liberal 
amount  of  good  nourishing  food,  all  the  sleep  that 
circumstances  will  allow  her  to  get — and  then  a 
little  more,  if  she  can  possibly  steal  it — and  plenty 
of  fresh  air,  day  and  night,  are  essential. 

The  diet  may  be  supplemented  by  the  milk- 
producing  foods  I  have  mentioned  earlier  in  this 
chapter,  great  care  being  taken,  however,  not  to 
derange  the  stomach  by  using  fatty  foods  in 
excess  of  the  ability  of  the  system  to  transform 
and  assimilate  them. 

Then  there's  Nothing  Else  to  Do  but  Wean  the 
Child.  If,  after  a  few  weeks'  test  of  this  regime, 
the  mother  still  finds  her  vitality  on  the  wrong 
side  of  the  physiological  balance  sheet,  there  is 
only  one  thing  to  do,  and  that  is  either  to  provide 

34 


The  Mother  Should  Nurse  Her  ChUd 

a  wet-nurse  for  the  baby — a  very  difficult  pro- 
cedure nowadays,  except  for  those  in  affluent 
circumstances — or  else  to  put  the  baby  on  a  care- 
fully modified  formula  of  clean,  whole  milk. 

In  another  chapter  I  have  gone  somewhat  ex- 
tensively into  this  matter  of  milk  modification. 
I  would  like  here,  however,  to  emphasize  the  fact 
that  any  milk  modification  is  somewhat  a  matter 
of  experiment.  There  is  no  accounting  for  idio- 
syncrasies— any  more  than  there  is  for  tastes — 
and  what  might  agree  splendidly  with  nine  babies 
might  completely  upset  the  digestive  apparatus  of 
the  tenth  child. 

When  this  rare  incident  occurs,  it  is  necessary 
to  keep  on  trying  various  formulas  and  modifica- 
tions, until  one  is  found  that  agrees  perfectly  with 
the  child. 

Agreeing  with  Eminent  Medical  Authorities.  It 
is  interesting  to  note  the  development  of  in- 
terest among  the  medical  men  in  respect  to  this 
important  question  of  the  proper  nutrition  of 
teeth,  and  of  the  importance  of  the  diet,  in  this 
connection. 

In  Dr.  Albert  Westlake's  work  on  Babies' 
Teeth  to  the  Twelfth  Year  he  says: 

35 


Teeth  and  Health 

Babies'  teeth  should  receive  consideration  at  least 
six  months  before  the  child  is  born.  Necessary  ele- 
ments in  the  building  up  are  furnished  at  this  period 
by  the  mother's  blood  Hence,  the  need  of  the  purity 
of  the  latter. 

Teeth  require  organic  phosphates  (particularly 
phosphates  of  calcium  as  well  as  carbonates  of  lime) 
more  than  any  other  part  of  the  body.  Therefore, 
bone  food  is  necessary  for  the  mother  (cow's  milk, 
eggs — especially  yolks — peas,  beans,  lentils,  whole 
wheat,  outer  grains,  etc.). 

Why  the  Mother  Needs  to  Watch  her  Diet.  Die- 
tetic treatment  for  the  mother  is  very  important  at 
this  period  when  the  bone  is  forming. 

The  intestines  of  the  child  are  also  undergoing  vital 
changes  at  this  period  and  earlier.  This  includes 
primary  fixation  of  the  child's  intestine  in  the  left 
hypochondriac  region. 

It  is,  therefore,  vital  to  the  offspring  to  get  perfect 
peristalsis  of  the  mother's  intestines.  Elimination 
and  evacuation  should  be  regular  without  drugs. 

Mothers  especially  Need  Real  Food.  This  is 
yet  another  reason  why  the  mother  should  ab- 
stain from  white  bread,  degerminated  corn-meal, 
"  breakfast  foods"  which  do  not  contain  the  entire 
wheat,  and  from  an  excessive  amount  of  sugary 
substances.  For  on  this  diet  it  is  impossible  for 
her  to  secure  the  sodium,  potassium,  iron,  mag- 

36 


The  Mother  Should  Nurse  Her  Child 

nesium,  phosphorus,  silica,  sulphur,  and  chlorine 
which  whole  wheat  and  whole  food  products  in 
general  furnish. 

The  same  is  true  of  " pearled"  barley,  polished 
rice,  white  crackers  and  biscuits  of  every  variety, 
oatmeal,  and  other  foodless  foods  which  have 
been  robbed  of  most  of  their  vital,  life-giving  ele- 
ments, in  the  endeavour  to  make  these  substances 
look  pretty  and  to  cater  to  a  vitiated  appetite, 
created  by  usage  and  custom,  for  these  degermin- 
ated  and  demineralized  food  products. 

These  are  the  opinions  of  many  of  the  ablest 
medical  men  in  the  world.  And  before  many 
years  they  will  be  universally  accepted.  When 
they  are,  the  whole  human  race  will  be  better  off, 
physically  and  mentally,  than  it  has  ever  been 
since  those  old  days  when  our  ancestors  fought 
bloody  battles  with  their  teeth,  and  when  to  lose 
a  tooth — especially  a  nice,  serviceable  canine 
tooth — was  a  hardship  from  which  our  grand- 
father of  the  Paleolithic  age  sometimes  never 
recovered. 


37 


CHAPTER  IV 

WHAT  MOTHERS  SHOULD  KNOW 

MOTHERS,  interested,  as  all  mothers  should  be, 
in  giving  their  children  the  best  opportunity  for 
life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness,  will 
demand  to  know,  then,  upon  what  food  infants 
and  children  should  be  fed  in  order  to  secure  the 
perfect  balance  in  their  ration  that  will  enable 
them  to  obtain  all  the  mineral  salts  needed  for 
the  proper  development  of  their  teeth  and  bones. 

How  Bodies  are  Built.  Exactly  as  with  adults, 
infants  and  children  require  proteids  (or  building 
stuff),  fats  and  carbohydrates  (which  furnish  heat 
and  energy),  and  mineral  salts  and  water. 

In  infants  the  proportions  of  these  various 
elements  must  differ  from  the  relative  amounts 
required  for  mature  persons,  for  infants  cannot 
digest  and  assimilate  certain  kinds  of  food. 

And,  further  than  this,  provision  must  be  made 
not  only  for  the  natural  waste  of  body  tissues — 

38 


What  Mothers  Should  Know 

which  is  characteristic  of  most  of  the  important 
cell  structures — but  also  for  the  extraordinarily 
rapid  growth  which  takes  place  during  the  first 
year  of  the  child's  life — a  growth  which  causes 
almost  a  doubling  in  its  weight. 

Protein  the  Body's  Brick  and  Mortar.  While 
all  foods  might  be  considered  to  be  of  equal  im- 
portance to  the  body,  perhaps  the  most  indispens- 
able of  all  food  forms  is  protein,  which  replaces 
the  continuous  waste  of  nitrogen  in  the  cells  of 
the  body.  This  is  furnished  to  infants  by  the 
casein  and  other  albuminoids  in  milk. 

It  is  this  substance,  in  particular,  which  is 
toughened  and  rendered  more  indigestible  when 
the  milk  is  heated  by  pasteurization.  And  it  is 
the  irritating  effects  of  these  dense  curds  that 
constitutes  one  of  the  gravest  dangers,  not  only  to 
the  health  and  life  of  the  child,  but  to  its  ability 
to  extract  from  the  milk  the  mineral  salts  so 
necessary  for  the  formation  of  tooth  and  bone 
structure. 

Fats  are  also  Important.  Next  in  dietary  im- 
portance are  the  fats,  furnished  by  the  cream,  of 
which  infants  should  receive  on  an  average  of 
seven  per  cent,  to  each  feeding.  The  function  of 

39 


Teeth  and  Health 

the  fat  is  to  prevent  the  too  rapid  loss  of  nitrogen, 
and  to  add  to  the  body  weight. 

Mineral  Salts  and  their  Action.  The  mineral 
salts — lime,  magnesium,  iron,  etc.,  of  which  the 
milk  contains  liberal  amounts — are  next  in  im- 
portance, perhaps  more  so  in  infancy  than  in  the 
later  development  of  the  child's  life,  for  it  is  from 
these  substances  that  the  baby  must  get  the 
material  wherewith  to  build  its  teeth  and  bones — 
as  well  as  to  aid  in  forming  the  cells  which  make 
up  its  various  organic  structures. 

Cow's  Milk  the  Best  Food  for  Calves.  It  may 
here  be  observed  that  while  cow's  milk  contains 
three  and  one  half  times  as  much  mineral  salts  as 
does  mother's  milk,  it  is  generally  conceded  that 
the  mineral  salts  in  cow's  milk  are  much  better 
adapted  for  the  nourishment  of  a  calf  than 
they  are  for  building  a  baby.  Which  is  an  addi- 
tional argument  for  breast-feeding  the  child, 
whenever  an  adequate,  or  even  an  inadequate, 
supply  of  mother's  milk  makes  it  possible  to  give 
the  child  this  advantage. 

More  and  more  we  are  coming  to  understand 
the  paramount  importance  of  mineral  salts — the 
profound  influence  they  exert — not  only  on  the 

40 


What  Mothers  Should  Know 

growth  and  development  of  the  physical  structure, 
but  also  on  the  development  of  the  brain  and 
nerves  themselves. 

Starving  to  Death  on  Food.  In  fact,  it  has  been 
proved  that  mice,  dogs,  and  other  animals,  when 
fed  on  a  diet  lacking  in  lime  salts — as,  for  instance, 
degerminated  corn  meal,  white  bread,  and  dis- 
tilled water — will  get  "nerves,"  just  as  human 
beings,  deprived  of  lime  salts,  will  get  "nerves." 
And  if  this  lime-free  diet  is  persisted  in,  the  dogs 
or  mice  will  develop  convulsions,  and  perhaps 
die. 

Also,  dogs  which  receive  no  lime  in  their  diet 
will  become  subject  to  tetter  and  skin  eruptions, 
their  hair  will  roughen  and  fall  out,  and  they  will 
be  quite  likely  to  develop  "mean  dispositions." 

It  is  even  claimed  that  the  lioness,  fed  upon  meat 
alone,  and  given  no  bones  from  which  to  extract 
mineral  salts,  will  bear  cubs  with  cleft  palates. 

Be  that  as  it  may,  the  results  of  a  mineral-free 
diet  are  sufficiently  grave  to  warrant  our  most 
serious  consideration. 

Infants  Need  Water  also.  And  lastly,  the  infant 
requires  water.  Water  is  essential  in  order  to 
dissolve  all  the  other  food  constituents,  so  that 


Teeth  and  Health 

they  may  be  more  freely  acted  upon  by  the  weak 
digestive  apparatus  of  the  infant. 

In  proportion  to  its  weight,  the  infant  requires 
almost  five  or  six  times  as  much  water  as  a  mature 
person.  Therefore,  cool  sterile  water  should  be 
freely  given  to  babies,  from  time  to  time. 

Distilled  Water  "Bad  Medicine."  And  never, 
under  any  circumstances,  give  distilled  water. 
Sterile  water — which  is  water  that  has  been  boiled 
to  kill  the  germs,  and  then  subsequently  cooled — 
is  all  right,  although  the  plain  filtered  water  would 
be  much  better. 

But  distilled  water  is  water  which  has  been 
deprived  of  every  particle  of  vital  mineral  matter. 
And  water  which  is  lacking  in  mineral  matter  will 
greedily  abstract  the  mineral  salts  from  any  tis- 
sues with  which  it  may  be  brought  into  contact. 

Therefore,  for  the  sake  of  your  baby's  health, 
and  for  the  sake  of  giving  it  the  best  possible  food 
opportunities  to  secure  good  tooth-building  ma- 
terial, don't  give  it  distilled  water  to  drink,  no 
matter  how  clear  and  beautiful  this  may  look 
when  it  is  in  the  bottle. 

When  the  Mother  Can't  Nurse  her  Child.  If 
the  mother  is  unable  to  nurse  her  baby,  it  will  be 

42 


What  Mothers  Should  Know 

necessary  to  work  out  a  formula  for  milk  modifica- 
tion which  may  be  best  adapted  for  the  nourish- 
ment of  the  child.  There  can  be  no  hard  and  fast 
rules  for  this,  for  children  differ  in  their  digestive 
capacities,  as  in  their  physiological  likes  and  dis- 
likes, just  as  do  adults. 

But  the  formula  which  has  met  with  general 
favor,  and  which  usually  affords  good  results,  is 
one  made  up  of  "top  milk,"  milk  sugar,  milk  of 
magnesia,  and  water. 

A  Splendid  Formula.  For  an  infant  from  three 
to  ten  days  old  (prior  to  this  time  the  infant 
should  be  fed  only  with  the  colostrum  which  pre- 
cedes the  secretion  of  milk  in  the  mother's  breast) 
take  six  ounces  of  the  top  of  a  quart  of  milk.  This 
can  best  be  removed  with  a  Chapin  cream  dipper. 

Then  take  one  and  one  half  ounces  of  milk 
sugar  (a  level  tablespoonful  will  hold  about  one 
third  of  an  ounce  of  sugar  of  milk)  and  one  quarter 
teaspoonful  of  milk  of  magnesia.  This  last  is  to 
overcome  the  abnormal  acidity  of  the  cow's  milk, 
and  also  to  overcome  the  constipating  effect  which 
cow's  milk  frequently  produces,  either  with  chil- 
dren or  adults. 

Then  add  enough  filtered  or  boiled  (not  dis- 
43 


Teeth  and  Health 

tilled)  water  to  make  up  a  twenty-four  ounce 
mixture,  which  should  be  given  in  six  or  seven 
feedings. 

From  the  tenth  to  the  twenty-first  day,  these 
amounts  should  be  increased,  so  that  the  baby  is 
getting  seven  and  one  half  ounces  of  top  milk, 
two  ounces  of  sugar  of  milk,  one  half  teaspoonful 
of  milk  of  magnesia,  and  enough  water  to  make 
up  a  thirty-ounce  mixture. 

From  the  third  to  the  sixth  week  the  baby 
should  get  ten  ounces  of  top  milk,  two  ounces  of 
milk  sugar,  three  quarters  of  a  teaspoonful  of  milk 
of  magnesia,  and  water  to  make  thirty-two  ounces. 

From  the  sixth  to  the  ninth  week,  twelve  ounces 
of  top  milk,  two  ounces  of  milk  sugar,  one  tea- 
spoonful  of  milk  of  magnesia,  and  enough  water  to 
make  thirty-two  ounces. 

From  the  third  to  the  fifth  month,  eighteen 
ounces  of  top  milk,  two  ounces  of  milk  sugar,  one 
and  one  quarter  teaspoonfuls  of  milk  of  magnesia, 
and  sufficient  water  to  make  a  forty  ounce  mixture. 

From  the  fifth  to  the  seventh  month,  twenty- 
one  ounces  of  top  milk,  two  ounces  of  milk  sugar, 
one  and  one  half  teaspoonfuls  of  milk  of  magnesia, 
and  water  to  make  forty-two  ounces. 

44 


What  Mothers  Should  Know 

From  the  seventh  to  the  ninth  month,  twenty- 
seven  ounces  of  top  milk,  two  and  one  half  ounces 
of  milk  sugar,  one  and  three  quarters  teaspoonfuls 
of  milk  of  magnesia,  and  water  to  make  forty- 
eight  ounces. 

And  from  the  ninth  to  the  twelfth  month,  thirty- 
two  ounces  of  top  milk,  two  and  one  half  ounces 
of  milk  sugar,  two  teaspoonfuls  of  milk  of  mag- 
nesia, and  water  to  the  total  of  a  fifty-three  ounce 
mixture. 

Great  Care  must  be  Taken  during  Weaning. 
The  diet  during  the  months  of  weaning  must  be 
most  carefully  selected,  with  a  view  of  adding  to 
the  milk  and  orange  juice  diet,  not  alone  those 
foods  which  are  readily  digested  and  converted, 
but  those  foods  which  contain,  as  well,  the  essen- 
tial nutritive  salts,  lacking  which,  the  tooth 
structure  and  the  bones  cannot  be  properly 
nourished. 

One  of  the  finest  of  these  "building  foods"  is 
whey — a  milk  product  that  has  been  but  little 
used  in  America — a  fact  which  partially  explains 
the  prevalence  of  dental  decay  and  tooth  loss 
among  our  children. 

Why  Whey  is  Good  Food.  Whey  is  an  excellent 
45 


Teeth  and  Health 

food  by  reason  of  the  fact  that  it  is  extremely 
rich  in  lime  and  other  mineral  salts  which  help 
build  tooth  structure. 

Whey  also  has  the  effect,  common  to  all  soured 
milks,  of  tending  to  overcome  intestinal  toxaemia — 
or  auto-intoxication — which  is  a  very  serious  con- 
dition, for  the  reason  that  it  depletes  the  vitality, 
lowers  the  resistance,  and  makes  it  possible  for 
the  child  to  contract  almost  any  variety  of  disease 
to  which  he  may  happen  to  be  exposed. 

It  is  because  of  this  that  whey,  buttermilk,  and 
clabbered  milk — as  well  as  Zoolak,  Kumyss,  and 
the  fermented  milks — have  been  of  signal  service 
in  making  for  a  better  condition  of  health. 

How  to  Prepare  Whey.  The  best  way  to  prepare 
whey  is  to  heat  a  pint  of  fresh  milk  until  it  is  luke- 
warm. Then  add  a  teaspoonf  ul  of  essence  of  pepsin 
or  rennet.  This  is  stirred  for  a  few  moments,  and 
then  allowed  to  stand,  until  it  is  firmly  coagulated. 

The  curd  is  then  broken  up  with  a  fork,  and 
the  whey  strained  off  through  thin  muslin.  The 
curd  makes  delicious  "cottage  cheese"  for  the 
members  of  the  family  who  can  digest  this  excel- 
lent article  of  food. 

The  whey,  when  administered  to  children, 
46 


What  Mothers  Should  Know 

should  be  diluted  with  water.  And  except  when 
fed  to  those  with  very  weak  digestive  organs,  it 
should  have  a  little  cream  added,  to  increase  its 
nutrient  properties. 

A  Milk  Diet  is  sometimes  Constipating.  It 
may  be  well  here  to  mention  that  infants  and 
children,  fed  on  an  artificial  milk  diet,  are  very 
prone  to  develop  constipation — which  is  one  of 
the  most  health-wrecking  conditions  that  can  pos- 
sibly afflict  a  human  being. 

For  it  favours  the  storing  up  in  the  system  of 
the  poisons  of  decay,  which,  if  not  promptly  elim- 
inated, tend  to  weaken  the  organic  resistance, 
depress  the  system,  and  lower  the  vitality. 

Fruit  Juices  Will  Help  the  Bowel  Action.  The 
regular  use  of  fruit  juices  may  prove  of  splendid 
service  in  helping  to  overcome  this  obstinate  con- 
dition. Of  these  fruit  juices,  perhaps  the  best  is 
orange  juice,  from  sound,  ripe  oranges.  This 
should  be  strained  carefully  when  fed  to  infants, 
to  prevent  the  irritation  consequent  on  the  swal- 
lowing of  fragments  of  orange  pulp. 

A  teaspoonful  of  this  freshly  prepared  orange 
juice  three  or  four  times  a  day  is  a  most  important 
addition  to  the  diet  of  infants  and  young  children. 

47 


Teeth  and  Health 

Even  breast-fed  babies  derive  benefit  from  the 
administration  of  the  fresh  juice  of  the  orange, 
at  intervals. 

Fruit  Acid  Helps  Build  Teeth.  And,  most  im- 
portant of  all — from  the  dentist's  standpoint — is 
the  fact  that  the  acid  of  the  fruit  is  a  distinct  re- 
enforcement  to  the  alkaline-forming  tooth  and 
bone  salts.  For  fruit  acid  is  immediately  decom- 
posed in  the  child's  stomach  into  the  alkaline 
salts  of  calcium  and  potassium — both  very  essen- 
tial elements  of  tooth  structure. 

This  is  a  point  that  even  well-informed  physi- 
cians and  dentists  seem  to  have  ignored.  Yet  it  is 
one  of  the  most  important  facts  connected  with 
the  feeding  of  young  children. 

What  the  Kiddies  Thrive  on.  There  is  a  great 
variety  of  diet — nutritious  and  wholesome — that 
agrees  excellently  well  with  children  of,  say,  three 
years  and  over. 

But  always  the  fact  must  be  kept  in  mind  that 
this  is  a  critical  period  in  the  child's  nutrition,  and 
that,  to  a  very  large  extent,  his  future  develop- 
ment depends  largely  upon  the  way  in  which  he  is 
fed  during  these  formative  years. 

Grape-fruit,  oranges,  ripe  peaches,  raspberries, 
48 


What  Mothers  Should  Know 

blackberries,  strawberries,  figs,  grapes,  muskmel- 
ons — apples  in  any  form,  but  preferably  baked  or 
stewed — pineapple,  baked  banana,  dates,  prunes, 
and  raisins,  all  furnish  valuable  salts  and  minerals 
that  go  to  build  up  good  health,  as  well  as  good 
tooth  structure. 

Then,  all  forms  of  whole  wheat  preparations — 
either  bread,  biscuits,  or  crackers,  unsecured  oat- 
meal, unpolished  rice,  unbleached  barley,  unde- 
germinated  corn  meal,  macaroni,  or  spaghetti, 
served  with  grated  Parmesan,  Roman,  or  whole- 
milk  cheese — are  nutritious  and  wholesome  foods. 

Dehydrated  Vegetables  an  Excellent  Source  of 
Nourishment.  Soups  made  of  fresh  or  dehydrated 
vegetables — containing  potatoes,  onions,  carrots, 
spinach,  parsnips,  and  other  vegetables — are  par- 
ticularly nutritious — for  the  reason  that  all  their 
mineral  salts  are  retained  in  the  process  of  cooking, 
instead  of  being  thrown  away  with  the  water  in 
which  they  were  boiled. 

Parsley,  lentils,  peas,  string  beans,  beets,  and 
beet-greens,  are  also  excellent,  furnishing  valuable 
growth  substances  and  alkaline  bases. 

All  these  Vegetables  May  now  be  Secured  in 
Dehydrated  Form.  It  may  be  interesting  here  to 
4  49 


Teeth  and  Health 

observe  that,  as  a  result  of  an  exhaustive  series  of 
experiments,  conducted  by  the  United  States 
Government,  and  carried  to  perfection  by  private 
enterprise,  it  will  be  possible  shortly  to  secure  all 
these  vegetables  in  a  form  available  for  immediate 
use,  eliminating  entirely  the  drudgery  and  the 
waste  of  preparing  them  for  the  table. 

Just  as  Good  as  Fresh  Vegetables.  These  de- 
hydrated vegetables  contain  every  element  and 
virtue  that  is  to  be  found  in  fresh  vegetables. 
They  lack  only  the  water  of  which  originally  they 
were  largely  made  up.  But,  in  every  other  re- 
spect— in  colour,  odour,  flavour,  and  mineral  salt 
and  food  content — they  are  identical  with  fresh 
vegetables. 

This  new  food-source  is  destined  to  prove  of  in- 
estimable value,  not  only  in  cheapening  and  mak- 
ing available  for  general  use  what  is  now  available 
only  for  the  affluent,  but  in  providing  a  definite 
source  of  mineral  salt  supply  for  the  teeth  and 
bones  of  all  those  who  still  have  teeth  and  bones 
worth  saving. 

Salads  and  Greens  are  almost  Indispensable. 
Also,  endives,  celery,  lettuce  or  romaine,  or  green 
salads  of  any  kind,  are  almost  indispensable  for 

50 


What  Mothers  Should  Know 

the  maintenance  of  good  health.  For  they  con- 
tain vitamines  absolutely  essential  to  normal 
functioning — as  the  epoch-marking  experiments  of 
Dr.  E.  V.  McCollum,  of  Johns  Hopkins,  have 
conclusively  proved. 

We  now  know  that  the  deprivation  of  certain 
substances  found  in  green  vegetable  tops — as  well 
as  in  butter  fats — is  the  actual  cause  of  many 
grave  disorders  of  nutrition — such  as  pellagra, 
beriberi,  and  other  diseases,  which,  not  infre- 
quently, end  in  death. 

Meat  is  to  be  given  rather  sparingly ;  eggs,  fresh 
fish,  or  milk  with  a  fairly  liberal  hand. 

Jam  in  Moderation  is  Wholesome.  Fresh  fruit 
jams  or  jellies,  which  are  semi-natural  sweets,  are 
wholesome  articles  of  diet,  and  satisfy  the  "sugar 
craving"  which  seems  almost  a  universal  trait  in 
children. 

These,  with  such  additions  as  common  sense 
may  suggest,  will  be  found  to  constitute  a  splendid 
all  'round  diet  upon  which  children  may  thrive 
and  keep  perfect  health. 

The  potassium  and  calcium  salts,  particularly 
necessary  for  the  teeth  and  bones,  will  be  found 
in  the  fruit.  While  phosphorous,  iron,  chlorine, 


Teeth  and  Health 

sodium,  sulphur,  magnesium,  and  silica — all  of 
which  contribute  to  the  nutrition  or  function  of 
certain  definite  structures — will  be  found  in  the 
natural  grains,  with  whole  wheat,  bread,  and  milk. 

Butter  is  a  very  essential  article  of  diet — fur- 
nishing vitamines  necessary  to  growth;  but  unless 
it  is  perfectly  fresh,  the  child  is  better  off  without 
it.  For  rancid  butter  contains  substances  decidedly 
irritating  to  the  delicate  stomachs  of  children. 

Food  the  Very  Essence  of  Tooth  Conservation. 
I  have  been  thus  explicit  on  the  important  subject 
of  the  diet  because  I  realize,  more  and  more  clearly 
every  year,  that  in  the  selection  of  the  diet,  and 
in  the  proper  observance  of  structural  tooth-needs, 
lies  the  very  essence  of  tooth  conservation. 

All  the  marvellous  achievements  in  dental  tech- 
nique, and  all  the  advances  made  in  the  prophy- 
lactic art,  are  merely  palliative.  They  are  the 
feeble  attempts  to  restore  to  as  nearly  natural  as 
possible  a  condition  which  should  never  have  been 
permitted  to  develop. 

So  if  you  would  help  your  children  to  the  ines- 
timable boon  of  strong,  sound  teeth,  feed  their 
teeth  with  food  that  supplies  the  only  substances 
out  of  which  teeth  can  be  built. 

52 


CHAPTER  V 

HELPING   BABY  WITH  HIS  TEETH 

THERE  are  not  many  people  who  know  that  a 
baby  really  commences  to  develop  his  teeth  about 
thirty  weeks  before  he  is  born !  Yet  it's  a  fact  that 
at  about  the  sixth  week  after  conception,  a  tissue 
forms  on  what  subsequently  develops  into  the  jaws 
of  the  embryo.  This  is  called  the  "dental  band." 

The  "Dental  Band"  and  its  Function.  It  is 
from  this  dental  band  that  the  cells  and  sacs  and 
tissues  which  subsequently  become  bone  and  pulp 
and  enamel — and  all  the  other  elements  of  the 
tooth-structure — are  formed. 

The  method  of  development  of  these  tooth- 
structures  is  a  fascinating  study.  But  it  involves 
a  technical  description  that  is  entirely  too  com- 
plicated for  the  scope  of  this  work. 

What  Little  Teeth  are  Made  of.  Sufficient  for 
our  present  purpose  is  it  to  point  out  that  the 
structure  of  the  teeth  consists  in  enamel,  the 

53 


Teeth  and  Health 

dense  outer  covering  of  the  teeth;  the  dentine, 
which  is  the  bonelike  substance  that  gives  the 
tooth  its  form;  the  pulp,  which  carries  on  the 
nutrition  of  the  teeth  and  of  the  highly  sensitive 
nerves  which  run  into  it;  the  cementum,  which  is 
a  modified  bone  distributed  over  the  dentine  at 
the  root,  and  which  meets  the  enamel  edge  to 
edge,  lapping  it  or  being  overlapped  by  it. 

The  Cementum  is  a  very  Important  Part  of  the 
Tooth.  The  functions  of  the  cementum  are  to 
afford  means  of  strongly  attaching  the  teeth  to 
the  jaw-bones,  by  the  aid  of  the  "  pericemental 
fibres/*  Also,  in  case  the  pulp  dies,  the  pericemen- 
tal membrane  is  capable  of  maintaining  the  vital 
relations  between  itself  and  the  alveolar  process 
in  which  the  tooth  is  imbedded,  thus  preserving 
the  usefulness  of  the  tooth,  even  though  the  tooth 
may  be  "dead." 

How  the  Pericementum  Helps.  Then  the  peri- 
cementum — which  is  a  sort  of  sheath — forms  a 
lining  to  the  cavity  in  the  jaw-bone  into  which 
the  tooth  is  fitted,  and  furnishes,  by  its  mem- 
branous bands  or  attachments,  the  means  by 
which  the  teeth  are  retained  in  their  sockets,  and 
a  certain  degree  of  motion  permitted. 

54 


Helping  Baby  with  His  Teeth 

Baby's  First  Tooth.  In  the  normally  nourished 
child  of  parents  unafflicted  with  any  constitu- 
tional or  transmissible  disease,  the  eruption  of 
the  first  tooth  takes  place  at  about  the  seventh 
month  after  birth,  and  all  the  deciduous,  or  milk 
teeth,  should  be  erupted  somewhere  about  the 
twenty-fifth  month  of  the  child's  age. 

Some  children,  however,  may  be  born  with 
teeth  erupted.  In  others,  the  process  will  not 
even  have  been  begun  before  the  twelfth  month — 
or  even  later. 

The  first  teeth  to  make  their  appearance  are 
the  two  incisors,  or  cutting  teeth,  usually  those 
on  the  lower  jaw;  followed  a  couple  of  months 
later  by  the  two  on  the  upper  jaw. 

Then^  the  lower  and  the  upper  lateral  incisors 
appear — at  about  the  twelfth  month ;  followed  by 
the  first  molars  at  fourteen  months.  Then  the 
cuspids  at  eighteen  months,  and  the  second  molars 
at  twenty-six  months. 

How  Long  the  Trouble  Lasts.  The  duration  of 
the  eruption  of  the  incisors  varies  from  one  to 
ten  days,  the  upper  central  and  lateral  incisors, 
from  four  to  six  weeks,  the  first  molars  from  one 
to  two  months,  the  cuspids  from  two  to  three 

55 


Teeth  and  Health 

months,  and  the  second  molars  from  three  to 
five  months. 

The  time  elapsing  between  the  appearance  of 
the  various  groups  is  no  doubt  a  wise  provision  of 
Nature  which  permits  the  organism  of  the  baby 
to  recover  from  the  effects  of  previous  disturbance 
before  it  is  afflicted  with  fresh  sources  of  irritation. 

What  Every  Mother  Knows.  As  every  mother 
knows,  the  processes  of  dentition  are  accompanied 
by  more  or  less  disturbances  of  the  digestive 
tract.  Even  reflex  conditions,  such  as  fever, 
stupor,  convulsions,  or  meningitis,  may  manifest 
themselves. 

Slight  stomach  and  intestinal  disturbances — 
such  as  vomiting  and  diarrhoea — are  so  common 
at  the  period  of  eruption  that  they  are  looked 
upon  as  quite  natural  at  this  time.  The  resorption 
of  the  soft  tissue  over  the  point  of  the  teeth,  sets 
up  a  mild,  nonseptic  inflammation  at  that  point. 

The  gums  are  very  tender,  and  there  is  some 
evidence  of  local  inflammation,  which  is  tempo- 
rarily relieved  by  letting  the  child  bite  upon  the 
fingers  of  the  nurse,  or  upon  rings  or  other  objects. 

A  Little  Biting  Exercise  is  Good  for  the  Teeth. 
A  little  of  this  exercise  may  be  helpful,  in  facilitat- 

56 


Helping  Baby  with  His  Teeth 

ing  the  "cutting"  of  the  teeth;  although  an  ex- 
cessive indulgence  in  this  practice,  as  I  have 
pointed  out  in  another  chapter,  may  produce  a 
distortion  in  the  shape  of  the  jaws,  the  results  of 
which  are  far-reaching  and  permanently  deleteri- 
ous to  health. 

How  Ice  Helps  a  Baby's  Teeth.  Perhaps  one 
of  the  least  objectionable  and  most  helpful  of  all 
measures  at  this  time  is  to  permit  the  child  to 
bite  upon  a  piece  of  ice,  which,  in  addition  to 
mechanically  diminishing  the  blood  supply — and 
consequently  the  congestion  of  the  parts — also 
causes  constriction  of  the  dilated  blood  vessels. 

The  local  disturbances,  accepted  as  physio- 
logical and  natural,  may  be  exaggerated  to  give 
rise  to  nervous,  digestive,  or  pulmonary  troubles, 
as  well  as  to  skin  disturbances. 

Even  epilepsy  may  have  its  exciting  cause  in 
dentition  which  has  become  pathological — es-. 
pecially  where  a  neurotic  taint  may  have  been 
inherited. 

How  to  Tell  when  a  Tooth  is  Coming  through. 
Mothers  will  recognize  the  local  symptoms  from 
the  fact  that  the  red  and  swollen  gum  tissue 
immediately  over  the  tooth  takes  on  a  dusky 

57 


Teeth  and  Health 

colour.  Or  the  jaws  may  be  white  and  glistening — 
as  a  result 'of  the  tense  stretching  of  the  tissues 
over  the  crowns.  Occasionally  the  gums  over  the 
erupting  tooth  may  be  swollen  with  a  fluid. 

The  child  will  manifest  local  irritability  from 
the  fact  that  he  will  resist  any  attempt  to  touch 
the  gums,  or  if  he  seizes  the  breast  or  the  bottle- 
nipple  he  will  immediately  release  it  again. 

The  readiness  with  which  the  child  will  bite 
on  ice,  or  on  other  cold  substances  is  a  certain 
sign  of  local  tooth  disturbances. 

Ulcerated  Gums  Dangerous  to  Health.  Occa- 
sionally, the  gum  tissues  may  become  ulcerated 
from  the  presence  of  bacteria,  producing  an  "ul- 
cerative  stomatitis" — characterized  by  patches  of 
infection.  These  bacteria,  swallowed  constantly, 
as  they  are,  produce  intestinal  fermentation,  with 
diarrhcea  and  colic. 

Almost  always  there  is  loss  of  appetite,  fretful- 
ness,  anger,  restlessness,  sleeplessness,  thirst,  and 
mild  fever — and  the  child  constantly  tries  to  sit  up. 

How  to  Treat  Ulceration.  In  all  ulcerative  con- 
ditions the  child's  mouth  should  be  thoroughly 
washed  with  a  saturated  solution  of  boric  acid. 
This  can  be  applied  by  means  of  a  cotton-tipped 

58 


Helping  Baby  with  His  Teeth 

probe,  or  on  a  soft  cloth  wrapped  around  the 
fingers  of  the  mother. 

Sometimes  a  spraying  with  a  three  per  cent, 
solution  of  hydrogen  dioxide,  followed  by  another 
spray  of  chloride  of  potash- — of  a  strength  of 
twenty  grains  to  one  ounce  of  sterile  water — gives 
quick  relief. 

The  Pain  of  Erupting  Teeth.  The  pain  of 
erupting  teeth  comes  on  in  paroxysms,  but  it  may 
be  continuous.  Twitching  of  the  muscles  is  com- 
mon— especially  of  the  muscles  of  the  eyes  and 
lips — the  thumbs  are  drawn  towards  the  palms  of 
the  hands,  the  feet  drawn  upward. 

The  Irritation  Must  be  Relieved.  Unless  the 
source  of  irritation  be  removed,  the  child  may 
develop  spasms,  and  in  very  severe  cases  it  may 
even  become  paralyzed  or  die.  The  skin  erup- 
tions, which  are  quite  common,  usually  occur 
about  the  mouth,  although  they  may  also  be 
observed  upon  the  skin  of  the  body  or  limbs. 

The  pulmonary  irritation  expresses  itself  in  a 
persistent  laryngeal  cough,  which  disappears  as 
soon  as  the  teeth  are  erupted. 

Keep  Everything  Sterile.  Mothers  should  see 
to  it  that  the  nipples  and  bottles  of  a  nursing 

59 


Teeth  and  Health 

child  are  absolutely  sterile — and,  in  fact,  that 
nothing  is  put  into  the  mouth  of  a  child  unless  it 
has  been  scrupulously  cleansed,  or  is  free  from 
sources  of  contamination. 

How  to  Overcome  the  Diarrhoea  and  the  Colic. 
If  the  diarrhoea  and  the  colic  are  very  persistent, 
a  good  cleansing  dose  of  castor  oil  should  be  ad- 
ministered; while  listerine,  in  ten -drop  doses  in 
water,  every  three  hours,  will  serve  as  an  excellent 
intestinal  antiseptic. 

Don't  Hesitate  to  Lance  the  Baby's  Gums.  To 
reduce  the  local  inflammation  a  dentist  or  a  physi- 
cian should  be  called  in  without  delay,  and  the 
gums  should  be  properly  and  thoroughly  lanced, 
so  that  the  binding  of  the  tissues  may  be  removed, 
and  the  teeth  permitted  to  erupt  normally. 

This  will  usually  give  immediate  relief,  and 
should  not  be  deferred.  For  it  is  inhuman  and 
irrational  to  permit  a  child  to  suffer,  when  a  little 
bit  of  cutting  will  so  effectually  relieve  it  of  its 
trouble. 

Many  object  to  lancing  the  gums,  urging  that 
if  the  tooth  does  not  erupt  immediately,  scar 
tissue  is  formed,  which  will  bind  the  tooth  down 
more  firmly  than  before. 

60 


Helping  Baby  with  His  Teeth 

This  is  not  true.  For  scar  tissue,  being  much 
more  loosely  organized  than  normal  tissue,  is 
more  readily  broken  down  by  the  pressure  of  the 
erupting  tooth. 

So,  do  not  listen  to  objectors  if  your  baby  is 
having  trouble  in  cutting  his  teeth.  Just  go  ahead 
and  help  him  cut  them,  by  removing  the  obstacles 
that  stand  in  the  way  of  the  teeth  coming  through. 

The  Meaning  of  Rickets.  Children  afflicted 
with  rickets  (or  rachitis)  have  the  process  of 
eruption  greatly  delayed,  and  are  quite  liable 
to  these  pathological  dental  states.  In  rickets 
there  are  typical  deformities  in  the  bones,  with 
tardy  development  and  faulty  structure  of  the 
teeth. 

While  the  true  causes  of  rickets  are  not  definitely 
known,  these  conditions  are  frequently  due  to  a 
lack  of  lime  salts,  which  should  be  supplied  by 
the  food,  and  the  lack  of  which  causes  an  absorp- 
tion of  the  lime  contained  in  the  bones  and  tooth 
structures. 

Professor  McCollum  says:  "Rickets  is  a  dis- 
ease of  the  first  two  years  of  life,  and  is  especially 
prevalent  in  children  whose  milk  diet  is  replaced 
too  largely  by  cereals  and  other  vegetable  food  not 

61 


Teeth  and  Health 

suited  to  the  delicate  digestive  tract  of  the  young 
child." 

Dr.  Hatfield  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that 
"The  nutritional  disturbances  often  leave  the 
child  delicate  and  emaciated — the  muscles  soft  and 
flabby.  One  of  the  earliest  diagnostic  signs  is  the 
'rosary/  the  row  of  nodules  which  form  at  the 
junction  of  the  ribs  with  the  cartilages,  and  though 
not  always  seen,  can  usually  be  felt  when  present." 

Rickets  is  often  Preventable.  If  the  mother 
nurses  her  baby  upon  a  supply  of  milk  deficient 
in  these  mineral  salts,  or  milk  poor  in  fat — or  if 
she  feeds  it  on  proprietary  foods,  lacking  in  these 
essential  elements,  or  if  the  child  gets  too  much 
starchy  or  sugary  food  in  its  diet,  or  is  fed  ex- 
clusively upon  condensed  milk,  rickets  is  peculiarly 
likely  to  develop. 

The  Treatment  for  Rickets.  Every  child  who 
suffers  from  rickets  should  get  fresh  fruit  juices  in 
plenty,  so  that  it  may  have  the  advantage  of  their 
alkaline  salts  of  potassium  and  calcium,  and  of 
the  alkaline  carbonates  into  which  the  feeble  acids 
of  the  fruit  are  oxydized. 

The  child  should  also  have  a  good  quality  of 
milk,  and,  if  old  enough,  white  of  egg,  beef  broth, 

62 


Helping  Baby  with  His  Teeth 

and  substantially  the  same  variety  of  base-forming 
foods  that  are  found  so  effective  in  scurvy. 

And  Have  a  Good  Physician  "Look  them 
Over."  Also,  the  child  may  need  iron,  manga- 
nese, potassium,  or  some  alterative  treatment  for 
a  strumus  condition  complicating  its  rickets,  so 
it  would  be  well  always  to  have  the  advice  of  a 
competent  physician  in  these  cases. 

What  Scurvy  Is.  Scurvy  (or  scorbutus,  as 
medical  men  call  it)  is  another  condition  that  is 
very  likely  to  complicate  dentition,  although  not 
so  likely  as  is  rickets.  For  scurvy  is  more  gener- 
ally acquired  by  improper  diet — while  rickets  is 
frequently  due  to  mal-functioning  of  an  inherited 
character,  as  well  as  to  errors  in  diet. 

Scurvy  is  more  generally  found  in  older  child- 
ren who  have  been  improperly  fed.  Yet  it  may 
be  an  important  factor  even  in  children  of  a 
tooth-erupting  age. 

How  Scurvy  May  be  Recognized.  In  scurvy, 
there  is  a  feeling  of  depression,  together  with  a 
lack  of  energy.  This  may  be  associated  with 
anaemia  and  shortness  of  breath,  together  with  a 
congestive  condition,  and  a  tendency  toward  a 
swelling  of  the  gums. 

63 


Teeth  and  Health 

Scurvy  has  been  traced  distinctly  to  the  depriv- 
ation of  certain  essential  food  elements,  found  in 
the  life-giving  vitamines,  mineral  salts,  and  acids. 

Sometimes  it  is  complicated  by  chronic  intes- 
tinal conditions- — especially  intestinal  indigestion 
and  auto-intoxication. 

Breast-fed  Babies  rarely  Get  Scurvy.  Babies 
who  are  nursed  by  their  mothers  do  not  get  scurvy 
very  often — although  at  times  even  these  babies 
may  show  some  symptom  of  it,  if  they  are  contin- 
ually deprived  of  orange  juice. 

Mostly,  however,  the  condition  is  brought  about 
in  them  by  the  use  of  proprietary  baby  foods — 
deficient  in  essential  nutrient  elements — and  a 
lack  of  fresh  vitamine-containing  food. 

This  disorder  manifests  itself,  usually,  at  from 
the  eighth  to  the  twelfth  month — rarely  before 
the  sixth,  and  seldom  after  the  sixteenth  month — 
in  those  children  in  whom  the  circulation  is 
enfeebled  and  the  blood  impoverished. 

How  to  Know  it  is  Scurvy.  Mothers  can  easily 
recognize  the  condition  by  the  fact  of  the  gums 
being  red  and  swollen,  protruding  over  and  up 
between  the  teeth  (if  there  are  any  teeth  present 
to  protrude  over).  The  baby's  breath  is  very 

64 


Helping  Baby  with  His  Teeth 

offensive,  owing  to  putrefaction  in  the  blood  sup- 
lied  to  the  gum  tissues. 

There  is  a  good  deal  of  stomach  irritation,  con- 
stant thirst,  and  a  craving  for  acid  foods.  Some- 
times the  joints  are  painful  and  swollen,  owing  to 
local  hemorrhagic  conditions.  The  urine  is  dark 
coloured,  and  inclined  to  be  scanty  in  amount. 

How  to  Prevent  and  Cure  Scurvy.  The  preven- 
tion and  cure  of  this  condition  is  ridiculously  easy. 
It  merely  requires  that  plenty  of  lime  juice  or 
fresh  lemon,  or  orange  juice,  be  given,  together  with 
the  juice  of  fresh  vegetables. 

In  addition,  fresh  milk,  white  of  egg,  and  beef 
juice  are  valuable;  while  in  infants,  breast-feeding 
is  to  be  substituted  for  the  use  of  proprietary 
foods. 

It  will  also  help  materially  if  the  mouth  is 
sprayed  with  a  sedative  antiseptic,  such  as  chlorate 
of  potassium,  twenty  grains  to  one  ounce  of  water. 

This  Isn't  all  that  Can  Ail  them.  There  are 
many  other  things  that  can  happen  to  a  youngster 
who  is  just  coming  into  toothhood.  But  these 
are  the  principal  things,  and  the  most  generally 
met  with. 

And  if  every  mother  in  the  world  would  only 
s  65 


Teeth  and  Health 

remember  these  matters — so  simple,  and,  in  many 
instances,  so  obvious,  thousands  of  little  lives 
might  be  saved  every  year,  and  millions  of  days 
of  useless  misery  and  suffering  might  be  prevented. 

This,  to  my  mind,  is  an  educational  measure, 
second  to  nothing  else  in  the  world  in  importance. 
The  knowledge  should  be  taught  to  girls  from 
their  very  earliest  school  years. 

And  then  we  would  have  a  race  of  mothers  who 
would  actually  know  something  about  how  to 
take  care  of  a  baby  after  they  had  one.  Which 
precious  few  of  them  now  do — more's  the  pity. 


66 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  TEETH  OF  CHILDREN 

FEW  mothers  understand  the  importance  of 
preserving  the  child's  first  teeth.  They  have  been 
led  to  believe  that  these  teeth  are  only  temporary 
anyhow,  and  must  eventually  be  replaced  by  the 
second,  or  permanent  teeth. 

Consequently,  they  neglect  to  have  the  cavities 
that  appear  in  these  teeth  attended  to  in  time  to 
save  them,  and  the  teeth  are  lost  long  before  the 
time  they  should  normally  be  replaced  by  the 
second,  or  permanent  teeth. 

Now,  nothing  could  be  more  definitely  and 
lastingly  harmful  to  the  child  than  to  lose  its 
first  teeth  before  the  second  teeth  are  ready  to 
displace  them. 

When  the  Teeth  Appear.  Normally,  this  dis- 
placement should  take  place  with  the  central  in- 
cisors at  about  the  sixth  or  seventh  year;  the  lat- 
erals, from  the  seventh  to  the  eighth  year;  the 

67 


Teeth  and  Health 

first  molar,  excluding  the  sixth-year  molar,  ninth 
to  tenth  year;  the  canines,  eight  to  ten  years  for 
the  lower,  eleven  to  twelve  for  the  upper;  and  the 
second  molars  from  the  twelfth  to  the  thirteenth 
year. 

Teeth  Serve  a  much  more  Important  Function 
than  merely  to  Make  us  Look  Pretty.  It  must 
be  remembered  that  it  is  not  alone  for  their 
"looks"  that  the  preservation  of  the  first  teeth  is 
important.  For  much  more  important  yet  is  the 
fact  that  second  teeth  will  "come  in"  irregularly, 
if  the  restraining  and  regulating  influence  of  their 
neighbours  is  lost,  through  the  extraction  of  these 
members.  And  irregularity,  once  started,  always 
tends  to  become  progressively  worse. 

What  Poor  Mastication  Does.  This  results  in 
poor  mastication  of  the  food,  with  lowered  power 
of  digestion  and  assimilation,  and  increased  waste 
of  absorption. 

Consequently,  the  distributing  systems  do  not 
convey  sufficient  material  to  the  bony  and  mus- 
cular structures  to  meet  the  normal  demand  for 
growth  substance. 

There  is  a  general  deficiency  in  the  development 
and  "tone"  of  the  entire  body.  The  bones  and 

68 


The  Teeth  of  Children 

muscles  of  the  jaws  suffer  also  from  this  general 
malnutrition,  and  the  teeth  become  even  more 
irregular  and  lacking  in  their  essential  salts,  as 
a  consequence. 

The  bones  that  support  the  teeth  do  not  grow 
large  enough  to  support  them  properly,  or  to 
accommodate  all  the  teeth  in  the  normal  position 
in  which  they  should  be  accommodated. 

In  some  cases  the  jaw-bones  are  so  small  that 
many  of  the  teeth  cannot  find  a  place  to  come 
through  at  all,  and  they  remain  impacted  in  the 
bones  of  the  jaw — giving  rise  in  later  life  to 
chronic  neuralgia,  headaches,  and  many  grave 
nervous  and  physical  disorders. 

And,  as  I  have  pointed  out  in  the  chapter  on 
Orthodontia,  the  normal  physiological  relations 
between  the  mouth  and  the  nose  are  also  affected 
— causing  a  profound  disturbance  in  the  function 
of  the  breathing  apparatus — which  results  in  the 
narrowing  of  the  air  passages. 

How  Mouth-breathing  Begins.  This  causes 
mouth-breathing.  The  air  enters  the  lungs  im- 
properly warmed,  unfiltered,  and  unmoistened. 
The  blood  is  insufficiently  supplied  with  oxygen. 
Shoulders  become  rounded,  chest  flat,  and  faulty 

69 


Teeth  and  Health 

positions  in  standing  or  sitting  are  acquired,  which 
result  finally  in  developing  spinal  curvature. 

Hard  to  Keep  Crooked  Teeth  Clean.  Also, 
irregular  teeth  are  kept  clean  only  with  great 
difficulty,  and  the  problem  of  repairing  or  replac- 
ing them  later  becomes  much  more  complex  for 
the  dentist. 

Further,  the  normal  occlusion  of  the  teeth  is 
interfered  with,  causing  them  to  "rock"  in  their 
sockets,  and  become  loosened. 

The  Chief  Cause  of  Pyorrhoea.  This  is  one 
reason  why  pyorrhoea,  or  Riggs's  disease,  is  so 
often  found  in  mouths  with  irregular  teeth.  The 
gravity  of  this  pyorrhoea!  condition  is  manifested 
in  later  life  by  the  development  of  headaches, 
rheumatism,  diseases  of  the  heart  and  blood  ves- 
sels, of  the  kidneys,  and  even  of  the  eyes. 

Mothers  must  be  made  to  understand  that 
St.  Vitus'  dance,  epilepsy,  and  even  insanity  in 
children  frequently  have  their  origin  in  the  nervous 
and  systemic  conditions  produced  by  irregular 
teeth,  and  by  the  early  loss  of  teeth  that  should 
have  had  careful  attention  by  the  skilled  dentist. 

The  Cause  of  Impacted  Teeth.  Even  when  a 
tooth  cannot  properly  erupt,  however,  it  never- 

70 


The  Teeth  of  Children 

theless  persists  in  developing,  causing  a  direct 
pressure  on  the  nerves.  This  produces  a  reflex 
action  on  the  nervous  system,  which  may  even 
cause  "tic" — known  more  generally  as  "tic  dolo- 
reux."  This  is  characterized  by  a  twitching  of 
the  facial  muscles  on  the  side  affected,  associated 
with  the  most  agonizing  pain — with  the  possible 
exception  of  angina  pectoris — known  to  human 
beings. 

Or  it  may  only  result  in  producing  nerve  shocks, 
that  find  their  expression  in  various  reflex  actions, 
such  as  twitching  of  the  muscles  and  limbs,  or  even 
in  such  grave  nervous  disorders  as  melancholia. 

Seventy-five  per  cent,  of  All  Americans  Have 
Irregular  Teeth.  In  America  today  it  is  estimated 
that  fully  75%  of  people  have  irregular  teeth.  At 
the  Forsythe  Dental  Infirmary  it  has  been  shown 
that  fully  95%  of  the  children  presenting  them- 
selves for  treatment  are  thus  affected. 

The  difficulties  which  the  cleansing  of  such 
teeth  entails  obviously  results  in  dental  caries — 
decay  of  teeth. 

Living  in  the  Limestone  State  Doesn't  Help 
them.  Dr.  James  R.  Mitchell,  lecturer  in  Chem- 
istry at  Fort  Worth  University  Medical  College, 


Teeth  and  Health 

has  stated  that  86%  of  school  children  in  the  City 
of  Louisville  have  dental  caries  and  septic  tooth 
conditions — notwithstanding  the  fact  that  they 
live  in  the  Limestone  State! 

It's  the  Defective  Diet  and  the  Lack  of  Tooth- 
care.  In  an  examination  of  10,500  school  child- 
ren, the  British  Dental  Association  found  86% 
suffering  from  more  or  less  pronounced  defects  of 
the  teeth — the  result  of  a  diet  lacking  in  the 
essential  mineral  elements  upon  which  the  bones 
and  the  teeth  depend  for  their  development;  and 
of  the  early  loss  of  teeth  that  should,  if  they  had 
proper  care,  have  been  retained  until  they  could  be 
replaced  by  the  eruption  of  the  permanent  teeth. 

Out  of  1694  children  examined  by  Dr.  A.  Freed- 
man  Foote,  only  1 1  were  found  to  possess  normal 
teeth.  Dr.  Foote,  in  a  report  to  the  Second 
District  Dental  Society  of  New  York,  stated  that : 
"The  sixth-year  molars  of  nearly  every  child 
examined  were  broken  down  wholly  or  in  part. 
In  many  instances  the  molars  were  decayed  below 
the  gum  margins.  So  extensive  and  far-advanced 
were  the  defects,  that  corrective  treatment,  even 
if  it  were  applied,  would  have  been  of  little  cor- 
rective value." 

72 


The  Teeth  of  Children 

The  New  York  Department  of  Health,  through 
Dr.  T.  Van  Wincle,  examined  the  teeth  of  231,081 
school  children  in  New  York  City,  finding  131,747 
defective. 

In  the  clinics  of  Northampton,  Mass.,  estab- 
lished by  Mr.  William  Cordes,  the  General  Man- 
ager of  the  Florence  Manufacturing  Co.,  and 
Principal  Janes,  the  Superintendent  of  Schools — 
it  was  found  that  of  2400  children  examined,  97% 
were  in  need  of  dental  attention. 

Never  yet  Has  Seen  a  Perfect  Set  of  Sixth- 
year  Molars.  After  examining  the  teeth  of  many 
thousands  of  school  children,  I  myself  have  yet 
to  see  a  perfect  set  of  sixth-year  molars.  These 
teeth,  in  nearly  every  instance,  were  entirely 
decayed.  Indeed,  I  may  say  that  I  have  never 
seen  a  perfect  set  of  teeth  in  any  American  child. 

Most  Children  Have  Normal-shaped  Jaws  and 
Faces — until  they  Lose  their  Teeth.  Specialists 
in  dentistry  state  that  they  find  that  by  far  the 
greater  number  of  children  who  have  reached  the 
age  of  two  and  one  half  to  three  years  (when 
the  temporary  teeth  have  all  come  in)  have  a 
normal  development  of  the  face  and  jaws. 

Doesn't  this  go  to  prove  that  if  these  children 

n 


Teeth  and  Health 

subsequently  develop  malformed  jaws — and  all 
the  train  of  evils  that  must  accompany  the  pos- 
session of  such  jaws  in  later  life — that  the  fault 
is  ours,  for  neglecting  to  keep  these  jaws  normal? 

I  have  spoken,  in  another  chapter,  of  the  evils 
of  the  "pacifier,"  of  thumb-sucking,  and  of  other 
mechanical  causes  for  malformed  jaws,  and  irregu- 
lar teeth,  which  evils  cannot  be  too  strongly 
condemned. 

It's  Neglect — Pure  and  Simple.  So,  neglect  of 
the  temporary  teeth  is  the  most  frequent  cause  of 
irregular  teeth.  No  child,  without  a  full  comple- 
ment of  the  first  teeth,  kept  intact  throughout 
their  natural  period,  can  hope  to  have  permanently 
regular  teeth. 

Therefore,  it  is  of  far  greater  importance  for 
the  general  health  of  the  child  to  care  for  and 
preserve  its  teeth  up  to  the  fifteenth  year  of  its 
age,  than  it  is  to  exercise  the  utmost  vigilance  all 
the  years  of  its  life  afterward. 

Teach  the  Child  to  Chew  on  Both  Sides  of  its 
Mouth.  It  is  also  very  essential  to  encourage  the 
child  to  chew  on  either  side  of  its  mouth.  Many 
children  get  into  the  habit  of  favouring  one  or 
the  other  side  while  masticating  food — a  practice 

74 


The  Teeth  of  Children 

that  may  have  its  origin  in  some  attack  of  tooth- 
ache or  of  tooth-tenderness  on  the  side  that  is 
being  favoured. 

This  one-sided  chewing  tends  also  to  develop 
the  muscles  of  the  jaws  asymmetrically — affecting 
the  even  contour  of  the  face. 

This  may  not  be  very  important  with  most  of 
us — who  are  no  prize  beauties,  anyhow.  But 
there  is  no  use  in  being  any  homelier  than  God 
made  us — if  it  is  at  all  avoidable. 

One-sided  Chewing  Tends  also  to  Develop 
Tartar.  Also  this  one-sided  chewing  tends  to 
favour  the  deposit  of  tartar  on  the  surfaces  of  the 
teeth  which  are  deprived  of  their  rightful  share  in 
the  exercise  of  mastication.  For  remember  that 
the  mechanical  effects  of  mastication  act  in  iden- 
tically the  same  way  in  cleansing  and  scouring 
the  two  surfaces  as  would  the  mechanical  effects 
of  the  bristles  of  a  toothbrush,  or  a  corrugated 
rubber  finger  cot,  or  anything  else  which  is  de- 
signed to  cleanse  the  teeth  by  friction. 

The  result  of  these  accumulations  of  tartar  is 
to  bring  about — by  the  irritation  of  their  presence 
at  or  below  the  gum  margins — an  inflammation  of 
the  gingival  tissues,  which  is  one  of  the  most 

75 


Teeth  and  Health 

frequent  of  all  forerunners  of  pyorrhoea,  as  well 
as  ultimately  to  cause  an  exposure  of  the  necks  of 
the  teeth  by  producing  a  resorption  of  the  gum 
tissues  irritated  by  the  tartar. 

How  to  Relieve  Toothache.  In  the  toothache 
of  children — or  of  adults,  for  that  matter — it  may 
be  advisable  to  apply  some  simple  home  treatment 
for  relief,  until  such  time  as  the  services  of  the 
dentist  may  be  sought. 

In  the  toothache  caused  by  an  inflamed  or  a 
dying  pulp — which  is  the  most  frequent  of  all 
causes  for  toothache — considerable  relief  may  often 
be  obtained  by  placing  a  pledget  of  cotton,  satu- 
rated with  oil  of  cloves,  or  campho-phenique,  into 
the  cavity. 

Fletcher's  carbolized  resin,  applied  on  a  pellet 
of  cotton,  often  acts  as  an  efficient  anodyne,  or 
pain -reliever.  In  addition,  the  resin  hardens  in 
the  cotton,  forming  thereby  a  temporary  stopping, 
which  may  last  for  several  days — even  enduring 
the  force  of  mastication. 

Turn  Decaying  Tooth-pulps  into  Painless  Soap. 
Prof.  L.  L.  Dunbar,  a  very  great  authority  on 
dental  matters,  says:  "As  a  domestic  palliative, 
always  at  hand,  in  the  treatment  of  pulp  exposure 

76 


The  Teeth  of  Children 

and  restricting  odontalgia  (toothache  confined  to 
one  tooth),  use  ammonia  on  cotton;  its  repeated 
use  will  devitalize  the  pulp,  at  the  same  time 
effecting  its  removal  by  saponification." 

This  means  that  the  alkali  of  the  ammonia, 
coming  in  contact  with  the  fatty  acids  that  largely 
form  the  pulp  of  the  teeth,  change  these  into  soap 
— by  the  well-known  action  of  alkalies  on  fats. 
This  is  a  point  that  every  mother  will  do  well 
to  remember. 

But  Don't  Rely  on  Make-shifts.  See  Your 
Dentist.  These  measures,  however,  are  only  pal- 
liative, not  curative,  and  the  dentist's  aid  should 
be  sought  at  the  earliest  opportunity,  in  an  at- 
tempt to  fill  or  otherwise  save  these  aching  teeth. 

Zone  Therapy  has  been  Very  Helpful.  Various 
applications  of  Zone  Therapy  have  been  extensive- 
ly used  for  the  past  four  or  five  years  by  well- 
informed  dentists  and  laymen  in  every  part  of 
the  country.  While  these  measures  are  not  al- 
ways successful  (nothing  is  that  deals  with  the 
human  organism),  not  infrequently  the  results  are 
surprisingly  gratifying. 

This  practice  merely  requires  the  placing  of 
tight  rubber  bands  or  "therapy  zones"  (spiral 

77 


Teeth  and  Health 

wire  rings)  over  or  between  the  joints  of  the 
fingers  corresponding  to  the  zone  of  the  involved 
teeth — or  else  in  pressures  made  in  various  parts 
of  the  head  and  mouth. 

In  the  chapter  dealing  with  Zone  Therapy,  I 
have  gone  rather  extensively  into  this  subject,  and 
I  believe  that,  for  actual  help,  this  will  be  found 
to  be  one  of  the  most  valuable  chapters  in  the 
book. 

Sensitive  Dentine  Can  be  Readily  Relieved.  If 
there  should  be  a  sensitive  condition  of  the  teeth — 
particularly  about  their  necks — together  with  a 
tendency  toward  erosion  of  the  enamel  or  dentine, 
it  will  usually  be  found  that  the  mouth  secretions 
are  excessively  acid. 

This  condition  may  also  be  aggravated  by  over- 
indulgence in  grapes,  grape-fruit  and  other  acid 
fruits — or  by  using  lemon  juice  or  vinegar  too 
freely.  This  has  the  well-known  effect  of  '  'setting 
the  teeth  on  edge." 

The  acid  condition  can  best  be  overcome  by 
keeping  the  teeth  scrupulously  clean,  and  by 
rinsing  the  mouth  several  times  a  day,  and  es- 
pecially at  night  just  before  retiring,  with  a 
teaspoonful  of  milk  of  magnesia. 

78 


The  Teeth  of  Children 

This  neutralizes  the  acid,  and  deposits  a  pro- 
tective film  of  alkaline  magnesia  over  the  surfaces 
of  the  teeth,  and  over  the  exposed  necks  of  the 
teeth- — preserving  them  from  further  erosion. 

The  Watchword  is  "Prophylaxis."  Needless  to 
say,  the  moral  of  all  this  preachment  is  prophy- 
laxis— the  prevention  of  tooth-decay.  From  their 
very  earliest  appearance  the  nurse  or  the  mother 
should  begin  to  clean  the  child's  teeth  with  a  cloth 
wrapped  around  the  finger- — and  wet  in  a  satu- 
rated solution  of  boric  acid,  or  in  some  good 
alkaline  or  antiseptic  mouth  wash. 

The  Toothbrush  Age.  As  soon  as  the  child  is 
old  enough — three  years,  or  even  younger,  is 
about  the  proper  age — it  should  be  taught  the 
use  of  a  little  brush,  and  encouraged  to  use  this 
after  each  meal,  if  possible,  and  particularly 
before  going  to  bed. 

How  to  Use  Dental  Floss.  A  spool  of  floss  silk 
should  also  be  provided,  a  strand  of  which  the 
child  should  be  taught  to  draw  between  the  teeth, 
so  as  thoroughly  to  remove  from  the  inter-dental 
spaces  any  impacted  particles  of  food  which,  if 
allowed  to  remain,  would  ferment  and  cause 
tooth-decay. 

79 


Teeth  and  Health 

Floss  silk  is  much  better  than  a  toothpick,  as 
it  is  not  so  likely  to  injure  the  delicate  gum  struc- 
tures, and  to  cause  bleeding  and  possibly  recession 
of  the  gums. 

If  particles  of  meat  or  other  foodstuffs  are  lodged 
so  tightly  between  the  teeth  that  the  plain  waxed 
silk  will  not  dislodge  them,  teach  the  children  to 
tie  a  knot  in  the  thread,  and  then  to  draw  this 
through.  This  little  "stunt"  is  particularly 
effective. 

Great  care  should  always  be  taken  to  avoid  injur- 
ing the  gums,  or  to  cause  them  to  bleed,  as  this  tends 
to  recession  of  the  gum  structures,  and  provides 
an  opening  through  which  germs  may  find  en- 
trance into  the  vulnerable  tissues — thus  favouring 
the  development  of  pyorrhoea  and  inflamed  con- 
ditions of  the  gum  margins. 

Most  Important  to  Clean  the  Teeth  at  Night. 
Be  especially  careful  to  see  that  the  child  performs 
its  mouth  toilet  before  retiring  at  night — no  mat- 
ter how  sleepy  or  indisposed  to  exert  himself  he 
may  be. 

For  the  night  is  the  "  period  of  greatest  decay." 
The  busy  little  tongue  and  the  jaws  are  at  rest, 
and  the  salivary  secretions  are  not  kept  circulat- 

80 


The  Teeth  of  Children 

ing  as  they  are  in  the  daytime.  This  permits  of 
the  development  of  hyperacidity  in  the  salivary 
secretions,  and  the  attack  of  these  acids  upon  the 
vulnerable  alkaline  substance  of  the  teeth. 

The  Few  Exceptions  to  the  General  Ride. 
There  are  occasional  instances  in  which  the  teeth 
do  not  erupt  when  they  should.  Indeed,  there  are 
a  few  cases  on  record  in  which  the  individuals 
never  erupted  any  teeth — neither  temporary  or 
permanent.  They  chewed  with  their  gums  all 
their  life  long. 

And  occasionally,  the  deciduous,  or  first  teeth, 
may  be  retained  for  an  abnormal  length  of  time — 
even  to  the  sixteenth,  eighteenth,  or  the  twentieth 
year. 

No  Definite  Proof  of  a  Third  Set  of  Teeth.  But 
these  are  cases  almost  as  rare  as  would  be  the 
cutting  of  a  third  set  of  teeth  by  an  old  man  or 
woman,  who  hadn't  had  a  tooth  in  their  heads  for 
twenty  years.  This  third  set  of  teeth,  I  may  say 
in  passing,  is  quite  as  fanciful  as  any  of  Mun- 
chausen's  stories,  or  any  Arabian  Night  tale.  It 
usually  resolves  itself,  upon  investigation,  into  a 
case  of  tardy  eruption  of  some  impacted  teeth,  or 
of  the  eruption  of  a  few  supernumerary  teeth. 
6  Si 


Teeth  and  Health 

There  are  no  authentic  cases  in  medical  or  dental 
record  where  an  actual  third  set  of  teeth  has  ever 
been  seen  by  competent  observers. 

Gritting  the  Teeth  may  be  a  Symptom  of 
Serious  Disorder.  If  a  child  grits  and  grinds  his 
teeth  constantly  during  sleep,  it  might  be  well  to 
seek  the  advice  of  a  medical  man.  For  frequently 
these  conditions  are  manifestations  of  some  reflex 
disturbance,  caused  by  intestinal  or  stomach 
worms;  by  chorea  or  epileptiform  symptoms;  or 
even  by  some  central  nervous  disturbance,  in 
which  the  brain  may  be  subsequently  involved. 

If  the  gritting  is  merely  a  habit,  it  is  distinctly 
a  bad  habit,  and  should  be  broken  up  by  the 
wearing  of  a  rubber  plate  protecting  the  teeth 
during  sleep;  or  else  by  a  course  of  therapeutic 
suggestion — which  is  remarkably  efficacious  in 
these  neurotic  conditions. 

So,  active  tooth-care  commences  properly  with 
early  childhood,  and  should  last  as  long  as  there 
are  any  teeth  left  to  care  for.  The  time  devoted 
to  it  is  profitably  spent  time — as  much  so  as  any 
similar  amount  of  time  the  individual  ever  spends 
on  himself  during  his  entire  life. 


82 


CHAPTER  VII 

HOW  SUGAR  SUCKS  THE  LIME  OUT  OF  TEETH 

IT  is  believed  by  most  dentists — and  this  is  an 
opinion  generally  held  among  the  laity,  as  well, 
that  the  sugar  we  use,  in  the  form  of  candies, 
acts  directly  in  the  destruction  of  the  teeth. 

This  opinion  is  so  ingrained  in  the  conscious- 
ness of  most  people  that  to  dissent  from  it  amounts 
almost  to  a  heresy,  and  stamps  the  one  contra- 
dicting or  qualifying  the  accepted  opinion  as 
being  distinctly  heterodox  in  these  matters. 

Yet  right  here  I  want  to  go  on  record  as  being 
heterodox  respecting  this  important  subject — not 
to  the  fact  itself,  but  as  to  the  way  in  which  the 
fact  is  brought  about. 

Acid  Fermentation  only  One  Cause  for  Tooth 
Decay.  While  it  is  true  that  the  development  of 
lactic  acid  from  the  fermentation  of  the  sugars 
eats  away  the  alkaline  substance  in  the  enamel  of 
the  teeth,  and  favours  the  development  of  micro- 

83 


Teeth  and  Health 

organisms,  this  is  only  one  of  the  ways  in  which 
sugar  acts. 

For  the  chief  damages  done  by  sugar  and  candy 
eating  in  excess  is  to  cause  mineral-salt  starvation 
in  the  system,  and  the  softening  of  tooth  and 
bone  structure,  which  is  a  natural  consequence  of 
this  drain.  This  is  a  most  important  point,  and 
one  that  every  mother,  and  every  human  being 
interested  in  teeth,  should  remember. 

The  reason  is  as  plain  as  a  pikestaff  when  it  is 
recalled  that  the  vital  processes  of  the  body  can- 
not be  carried  on  except  in  the  presence  of  lime. 
Therefore  it  is  that  if  there  is  a  deficiency  of  lime 
salts  in  the  food,  the  body  actually  must  tear 
down  its  own  mineral  structure  in  order  to  obtain 
this  necessary  material. 

How  the  Teeth  are  Drained  of  Lime  Salts.  So, 
by  that  wonderful  process  called  "selective  affin- 
ity," lime  is  extracted  bodily  from  the  only  avail- 
able source  of  supply  in  the  system — the  soluble 
lime  of  the  teeth  and  bones.  This  is  gradually 
drawn  upon  and  consumed — weakening  the  re- 
sistance of  the  tooth  structure — until  finally  the 
enamel  cracks  and  breaks  down  under  the  strain 
of  mastication,  or  from  the  accidental  biting  upon 

84 


How  Sugar  Sucks  Lime  out  of  Teeth 

small  pieces  of  bone,  crusts  of  bread  or  any  extra 
hard  substance,  and  thereby  a  minute  opening 
into  the  vulnerable  interior  of  the  tooth  is  affected. 

This  permits  the  entrance  of  a  corps  of  micro- 
organisms— who  are  waiting  for  just  such  a  chance 
— and  the  process  of  destruction  is  then  in  full 
swing. 

The  real  damage,  however,  was  begun  long 
before  there  was  any  external  evidence  of  its 
extent,  and  was  first  brought  about  by  the  weak- 
ening of  the  tooth  structure  itself,  by  reason  of 
the  systematic  abstraction  of  its  lime  salts — 
afterwards  hastened  by  the  destructive  action  of 
the  bacteria  of  decay. 

Sugar  in  itself  Does  not  Destroy  Tooth  Enamel. 
Yet  sugar  and  fruit  acids,  in  themselves — and 
apart  from  their  products  of  fermentation — have 
no  ill  effect  upon  tooth  enamel.  In  fact,  sound 
teeth  can  be  immersed  in  a  solution  of  such  sugars 
and  acids  for  months,  and  suffer  no  eroding  influ- 
ence. So  sugar  itself  has  no  direct  action  upon 
the  teeth,  and  is  not,  in  itself,  a  cause  of  bone  and 
lime-salt  destruction. 

Very  few  people,  even  professional  men,  seem 
to  be  aware  of  this  fact,  a  fact  which  has  a  most 

85 


Teeth  and  Health 

important  bearing  upon  everyday  principles  of 
nutrition. 

Yet,  here  again,  the  most  important  reason  for 
tooth-decay  from  sugar  eating  is  apparent.  For 
sugar  and  lime  have  just  as  remarkable  an  affinity 
for  each  other  as  have  iron  and  oxygen,  which 
combine  to  form  rust.  So  that  when  we  take  into 
the  system  an  excessive  amount  of  mineral- 
hungry  candies,  the  sugar  eats  up  the  soluble  lime 
of  the  blood,  and  the  blood,  robbed  of  its  store 
of  vital  lime  salts,  seizes  upon  the  mineral  salts 
stored  up  in  the  teeth  and  in  the  bones,  to  replenish 
its  supply. 

Why  we  Need  Lime.  But  lime  is  absolutely 
indispensable  for  the  substance  of  the  teeth,  for 
the  strength  of  the  bones,  for  the  firm  texture  of 
the  muscles,  for  the  coagulating  power  of  the  blood, 
for  the  digestion  of  our  food,  for  the  stimulating 
effect  upon  the  pulsation  of  our  hearts,  and  for 
the  proper  functioning  of  the  kidneys — in  fact 
for  the  general  health  of  the  body.  Indeed,  it  is 
quite  impossible  to  over-estimate  its  importance 
in  the  animal  economy. 

Make  Your  Grocer  Get  Brown  Sugar  for  you. 
So  right  here  it  may  be  pertinent  to  observe  that 

86 


How  Sugar  Sucks  Lime  out  of  Teeth 

neither  infants,  children  nor  adults  should  eat 
refined  sugar,  if  it  is  at  all  possible  to  secure  the 
genuine  brown  sugar,  with  its  original  richness  of 
aromatic  and  nutritive  substances,  combined  with 
its  iron,  calcium,  magnesium,  silica,  phosphorous, 
and  other  mineral  salts,  all  of  which  help  build 
strong  teeth,  sound  nerves,  and  rugged  bodies. 

Raw  brown  sugar,  and  molasses  which  has  not 
been  bleached  and  be-devilled  with  sulphuric  or 
sulphurous  acid,  are  valuable  food  forms — not 
only  for  children,  but  for  every  human  being. 

Mothers,  everywhere,  should  demand  these 
products,  and  insist  that  their  grocers  supply 
them' — just  as  they  should  demand  whole-wheat 
bread,  brown  unpolished  rice,  unpearled  barley, 
unsecured  oats,  and  undegerminated  corn  pro- 
ducts. For  remember  that  on  the  same  principle 
that  implies  the  extreme  difficulty  of  making 
bricks  without  clay,  or  cement  without  sand,  one 
cannot  make  teeth  without  lime,  nor  bones  with- 
out mineral  salts. 

It's  merely  a  business  proposition,  conforming 
with  natural  law.  Quite  as  simple  as  arithmetic, 
and  as  fundamental.  And,  by  the  same  token, 
just  as  little  understood,  in  any  broad,  compre- 

87 


Teeth  and  Health 

hensive  way.  Which  is  one  of  the  chief  reasons 
why  our  fellow-countrymen  have  the  very  worst 
teeth  in  the  world — and,  unless  they  radically 
mend  their  dietetic  ways,  the  smallest  hopes  of 
any  appreciable  improvement. 


88 


CHAPTER  VIII 

CROOKED  TEETH  AND  TWISTED  BRAINS 

JUST  because  a  youngster  has  a  protruding 
upper  jaw,  with  unduly  prominent  teeth,  and  a 
retreating  chin ;  or  because  she  has  an  exaggerated 
lower  jaw,  constantly  parted  lips,  or  a  chronically 
open  mouth,  is  no  reason  she  should  be  permitted 
to  remain  thus. 

Because  we  have  allowed  the  development  of 
an  abnormal  type  of  face  doesn't  signify  that  we 
shouldn't  repent  of  our  carelessness,  and  remodel 
these  unsymmetrical  features  a  little  nearer  to 
the  heart's  desire. 

Of  course,  we  are  not  entirely  to  blame  for 
neglecting  this  matter,  for,  until  recently,  only  a 
few  of  us  knew  what  caused  the  conditions  we 
thought  natural  and  unavoidable,  and  still  fewer 
knew  how  to  correct  the  trouble  when  they  did 
find  out. 

But  now  the  children,  and  young  folks  up  to 
89 


Teeth  and  Health 

the  age  of  twenty-five,  victims  of  unsymmetrical 
features,  or  martyrs  to  actual  facial  deformity, 
can  be  made  whole,  wholesome,  and  even-featured, 
as  Nature  originally  intended  them  to  be. 

Training  Teeth  in  the  Way  they  Should  Go. 
The  protruding  upper  lip,  completely  overhang- 
ing the  characterless  chin  and  the  retruding  lower 
jaw;  the  lack-lustre  eye  and  lackadaisical  expres- 
sion, are  all  readily  amenable  to  correction. 
Mouth-breathing — with  the  adenoids,  enlarged 
tonsils,  and  contracted  nasal  passages  that  are 
associated  with  it — can  quite  frequently  be  cor- 
rected. 

Grave  physical  disorders,  due  to  a  disturbance 
in  the  function  of  the  ductless  glands  of  the  head 
and  throat,  can  be  remarkably  improved.  All 
these  things,  and  many  that  are  even  more  impos- 
sible-seeming, are  being  corrected  every  day  by 
carefully  moving  the  teeth  from  where  they  are 
to  where  they  belong. 

This  is  accomplished  by  orthodontic, — perhaps 
the  most  modern  and  exact  of  all  the  various 
branches  of  the  healing  art.  Orthodontia  is 
defined  by  Dr.  Edward  H.  Angle,  the  man  who 
has  done  most  to  develop  and  perfect  it — as 

90 


Crooked  Teeth  and  Twisted  Brains 

"that  science  which  has  for  its  object  the  correc- 
tion of  malocclusion  of  the  teeth."  (Malocclusion 
means  bad  or  faulty  contact.) 

As  the  Tooth  is  Bent,  So  is  the  Child  Inclined. 
"To  make  teeth  grow  right" — this  is  the  ortho- 
dontic slogan.  And  it  is  most  important  to  every- 
body concerned  that  teeth  should  "grow  right." 
For  if  they  do,  we'll  grow  right ;  and  if  they  don't, 
we  may  not. 

People  with  "lantern  jaws"  and  no  cheekbones 
worth  mentioning  owe  their  condition  to  malocclu- 
sion. Their  teeth  fail  to  meet,  because  their  upper 
jaws  do  not  develop,  and  their  lower  jaws  are 
exaggerated  by  misdirected  muscle  pull — which 
ultimately  causes  the  front  teeth  either  to  point 
out  or  to  toe  in. 

When  a  tooth  is  out  of  place  in  relation  with 
the  planes  of  the  skull,  and  fails  properly  to  oc- 
clude— or  come  into  normal  contact  with — the  two 
on  the  other  jaw,  or  when  it  is  in  incorrect  relation 
to  its  neighbours,  one  chief  cause  is  that  the  bones 
of  the  face  or  the  jaws  are  undeveloped. 

Normally,  the  external  curve  of  the  lower  jaw 
should  be  slightly  smaller  than  the  curve  of  the 
upper.  Therefore,  the  outside  of  the  lower  teeth 


Teeth  and  Health 

should  fit  inside  the  upper  teeth;  and  each  tooth, 
with  the  exception  of  the  third  upper  molar, 
should  fit  into  two  teeth  on  the  opposite  jaw. 

Give  the  Teeth  Standing  Room.  Every  tooth 
must  have  room  in  which  to  stand,  and  its  cutting 
or  grinding  surfaces  should  be  in  proper  position 
for  the  "bite."  If  it  isn't,  however,  we  have  a 
remedy  in  orthodontia,  which  stimulates  the 
growth  of  bone  by  tooth  movement. 

Dr.  Albin  Oppenheim,  of  Vienna,  employing 
spring  arches  and  wire  ligatures,  such  as  ortho- 
dontists use,  proved  that  under  this  mild  force 
Nature  will  dissolve  bone  salts  from  one  side  of  a 
moving  tooth,  and  without  waste — as  effectively 
as  a  man  can  dig  one  hole  and  use  the  material 
thus  dug  out  to  fill  another  hole  with — redeposit 
the  bone  substance  on  the  other  side  of  the  self- 
same tooth. 

In  addition  to  stimulating  normal  secretion  of 
the  glands — which,  in  themselves,  have  a  most 
vital  influence  in  the  development  of  mental  and 
physical  capacity — we  must  also  recognize  the 
increased  nutrition  the  brain  receives,  owing  to 
the  removal  of  pressure  from  the  lymph  and  blood 
vessels. 

92 


Crooked  Teeth  and  Twisted  Brains 

Backward  Children  Brought  forward  through 
Tooth  Straightening.  This  is  especially  marked  in 
the  case  of  backward  children,  who,  according  to 
the  Binet-Simon  tests  for  determining  mental  age, 
are  years  younger  in  mind  than  in  body.  Follow- 
ing the  straightening  of  their  teeth,  and  the 
spreading  of  their  dental  arches  by  orthodontic 
means,  however,  the  advance  in  their  school  work, 
in  their  reasoning  powers,  and  in  their  mental 
quickness  and  acuteness,  has  been  most  gratifying. 
This  is  not  alone  apparent  in  isolated  cases,  but 
has  been  a  routine  experience  in  thousands  of 
instances,  and  in  every  part  of  the  country  where 
are  found  men  capable  of  doing  this  important 
and  interesting  work. 

Indeed,  it  is  a  routine  result  in  orthodontia  to 
take  a  child  who  is  unable  to  sleep,  eat,  study,  or 
play  normally ;  who  is  subject  to  fits  of  depression 
or  high  temper,  or  who  becomes  fatigued  on  the 
slightest  exertion — or  for  no  exertion  at  all — and 
in  a  few  month's  treatment,  bring  about  a  com- 
plete change  in  the  child's  physical  and  mental 
condition. 

It  has  been  found  that  young  patients  "who 
have  never  known  a  well  day" — who  have  run 

93 


Teeth  and  He^Jth 

the  gamut  of  every  disease  in  the  children's  cal- 
endar, have  been  treated  for  almost  everything  a 
child  could  be  treated  for — except  the  things  that 
ailed  them — their  teeth. 

Yet,  when  the  teeth  were  moved  into  their 
proper  places  by  orthodontia,  all  symptoms 
cleared  up,  and  many  of  these  youngsters  have 
been  bright,  animated,  and  entirely  free  from 
illness  ever  since.  The  cosmetic  effects  of  their 
dental  correction  are  too  obvious  to  warrant  more 
than  a  mere  reference. 

Even  Insane  Patients  Helped.  Some  of  the 
most  gratifying  results  of  orthodontic  treatment 
are  seen  in  its  influence  upon  mentality.  When  the 
bones  of  the  face  and  the  head  are  undeveloped, 
and  the  nose  is  stuffed  with  adenoids  and  polypi 
(little  grape-like  bunches  of  abnormal  tissue),  the 
child  becomes  stupid,  inattentive,  forgetful,  and 
lacks  the  power  of  concentration — because  these 
growths  obstruct  the  lymphatic  circulation  of  the 
brain,  and  prevent  it  from  receiving  the  supply  of 
nutrition  necessary  for  its  proper  development. 

Curing  the  Impulse  toward  Suicide.  Tardy 
appearance  of  the  teeth,  or  "impaction,"  has  been 
known  to  cause  melancholia,  mania,  and  other 

94 


Crooked  Teeth  and  Twisted  Brains 

forms  of  insanity.  In  1876  Savage,  the  English 
alienist,  reported  a  case  of  mania  following  acute 
illness.  This  patient,  after  three  months  in  the 
asylum,  developed  a  very  severe  toothache.  The 
tooth  was  extracted,  and  a  considerable  quantity  of 
pus  found  at  the  root.  In  an  incredibly  short 
time  the  maniac  was  lucid,  and  remained  so. 
Another  patient  recovered  after  the  evacuation  of 
two  abscessed  roots.  And  these  are  only  a  few 
instances  among  many  thousands. 

Dr.  Henry  S.  Upson,  a  short  while  ago,  made  an 
interesting  series  of  experiments  which  emphasized 
the  importance  of  this  work.  He  found  among 
insane  patients  in  Columbus  and  Cleveland  asy- 
lums, many  who  had  impacted  teeth.  Dr.  Upson 
selected  nine  of  these,  and  had  their  impacted 
teeth  removed  and  their  dental  arches  broadened. 

The  results  were  sensational.  Six  recovered 
their  mental  health,  two  were  much  improved, 
while  only  one  patient  showed  no  change.  One 
of  these  defectives  had  been  under  constant  re- 
straint in  order  to  prevent  her  from  committing 
suicide.  Another  was  a  young  boy  who  had 
developed  pronounced  criminal  tendencies.  Both 
made  splendid  recoveries. 

95 


Teeth  and  Health 

Teeth  Do  More  than  merely  Chew  Food.     So 

the  dental  apparatus  has  a  much  more  complicated 
mission  in  life  than  merely  to  chew  food.  It  is, 
in  fact,  a  complex  structure,  with  a  whole  hat-full 
of  functions,  into  which  enter  not  only  the  jaws, 
teeth,  and  dental  arches,  but  also  the  muscles 
which  move  the  jaws,  the  lips,  and  which  influence 
the  calibre  and  physiological  functions  of  the  nasal 
passages,  and  the  hollow  bones  abutting  thereon, 
together  with  the  functioning  of  the  palate  and 
throat. 

In  addition  to  the  functions  of  chewing  and 
swallowing,  the  teeth  are  intimately  connected 
with  breathing  and  voice-production.  A  good 
wide  palate,  a  roomy  mouth,  and  a  straight  set  of 
teeth  are  almost  indispensable  to  a  singer  or  a 
speaker — as  many  have  found  to  their  sorrow, 
when  circumstances  which  they  should  have  con- 
trolled made  it  necessary  for  them  to  resort  to 
artificial  teeth  and  a  plate. 

And  anything  that  upsets  metabolism  or  nu- 
trition— as  measles,  scarlet  fever,  chickenpox,  and 
other  diseases  accompanied  by  a  high  tempera- 
ture— is  extremely  likely  to  affect  the  developing 
occlusion  and  soundness  of  the  teeth. 

96 


Crooked  Teeth  and  Twisted  Brains 

Save  the  most  Important  Tooth.  But  the  most 
frequent  of  all  causes  for  irregular  teeth  and  de- 
formed jaws  is  the  early  loss  of  the  first  permanent 
molar — the  so-called  "sixth-year  molar" — rightly 
characterized  as  the  "Pillar  of  the  Dental  Arch/' 

Parents  believe  this  to  be  one  of  the  temporary 
teeth,  and  consequently  pay  little  or  no  attention 
to  its  decay  during  the  vulnerable  "candy  age" — 
which,  unfortunately  for  all  concerned,  generally 
precedes  the  "tooth-brush  age" — unless  the  chil- 
dren are  early  taught  the  value  of  mouth  hygiene. 

How  the  Loss  of  a  Tooth  Changes  the  Shape  of 
the  Head.  This  error  arises  from  the  fact  that 
the  first  molar  is  cut  while  the  temporary  teeth 
are  still  in  place.  When  it  is  lost,  Nature  makes  a 
clumsy  effort  to  close  the  space,  with  the  result 
that  the  normal  articulation  of  the  teeth  is  utterly 
destroyed,  and  the  remaining  teeth  are  given  a 
slant. 

This  produces  overlapping,  crowding  of  the 
teeth  and  triangular  spaces,  which  afford  lodgment 
for  food  particles,  and  furnish  a  snug  harbour  for 
the  development  of  the  bacteria  which  cause 
tooth-decay. 

So,  it  is  most  important  that  parents  remember 
9  97 


Teeth  and  Health 

that  the  "sixth-year  molar"  erupts  at  about  the 
fifth  or  sixth  year.  And  also  that  it  is  a  permanent 
tooth. 

It  may  be  recognized  in  this  way.  Remember 
that  there  are  twenty  teeth  in  the  temporary  set — 
ten  in  each  jaw — and  therefore  five  on  either  side 
of  the  jaw,  above  and  below. 

Now,  begin  right  in  the  centre  of  the  jaw,  and 
count  five  on  a  side.  If  there  is  an  extra  tooth, 
you  will  know  that  it  is  a  permanent  one,  and 
that  it  should  never  be  extracted,  if  it  is  at  all 
possible  to  fill  or  preserve  it.  For  to  remove  this 
permanent  tooth  is  to  produce  an  irreparable 
loss. 

The  Bones  of  the  Child  are  readily  Moulded. 
Remember  that  the  jaw-bone  of  the  child  at  this 
age  is  soft,  and  very  poorly  developed — compared 
with  what  it  will  be  later  in  life.  And  that  this 
sixth-year  molar,  once  lost,  will  never  grow  again, 
and  may,  by  its  absence,  possibly  cause  great 
deformity  of  the  jaw-bone. 

For  the  loss  of  the  sixth-year  molars  causes  the 
shortening  of  the  jaws  and  the  crowding  of  the 
dental  arches,  due  to  the  fact  that  the  bony  tissue 
of  the  jaws  contracts.  So  the  sixth-year  molars, 

98 


Crooked  Teeth  and  Twisted  Brains 

whose  work  begins  at  once,  and  lasts  as  long  as 
their  owner,  are  the  most  important  teeth  in  our 
heads. 

Wrongly  occluded  teeth,  as  I  have  pointed  out 
in  another  chapter,  are  also  a  frequent  cause  of 
Riggs's  Disease.  For,  when  the  teeth  meet  im- 
properly, they  may  "rock"  back  and  forth,  loosen- 
ing themselves  in  their  sockets.  This  interferes 
with  their  nutrition,  and  provides  a  favourable 
ground  for  the  development  of  the  pyorrhceal 
condition. 

It  is,  therefore,  extremely  difficult  completely  to 
cure  Riggs's  Disease,  unless  malocclusion  can  first 
be  corrected. 

Remember  that  Teeth  were  Made  to  Chew 
with.  When  teeth  are  lost  through  necessary  ex- 
traction, it  is  advisable  to  have  restoration  of 
these  teeth  as  soon  as  practicable,  thereby  main- 
taining, as  nearly  as  possible,  a  normal  occlusion. 
Remember  always  that  it  is  this  masticating 
surface  which  is  required  in  the  grinding  and  tri- 
turating of  our  food — preparing  it  thus  for  the 
action  of  the  digestive  juices.  Also,  we  have 
eaten,  and  are  eating,  entirely  too  much  pap, 
mush,  and  semi-liquid  foods,  the  mastication  of 

99 


Teeth  and  Health 

which  is  merely  an  act  of  courtesy — and  therefore 
usually  omitted. 

Not  enough  force  is  applied  to  the  jaws  to  de- 
velop the  bones.  Hence  there  is  a  lack  of  lateral 
widening.  If  the  jaw-bones  are  not  stimulated 
by  the  pressure  of  mastication  there  is  a  restricted 
growth  of  bone.  It  is  only  within  recent  years 
that  we  have  determined  that,  in  order  to  develop 
them,  bones  require  exercise  almost  as  muscles 
require  work.  This  explains  why  malocclusion  is 
relatively  modern.  Our  rude  forefathers  used 
their  jaws. 

The  "Rabbit  Face."  There  are  two  well-marked 
and  distinct  types  of  faces  that  became  so  through 
mouth-breathing.  One  is  known  colloquially  as 
1  'rabbit  face,"  and  has  protruding  upper  teeth,  a 
vacant  stare,  drooping  eyelids,  a  short  upper  lip, 
a  thin  nose,  and  pointed  nostrils,  an  undeveloped 
lower  jaw  and  a  retruding  chin.  Usually  also  the 
hearing  is  'defective.  Sometimes  there  is  complete 
deafness. 

The  lower  lip  is  thicker,  and  presses  back  against 
the  teeth,  while  at  the  same  time  it  pushes  outward 
on  the  inside  surfaces  of  the  upper  teeth.  The 
constant  pressure  of  these  soft  structures  against 

100 


Crooked  Teeth  and  Twisted  Brains 

the  teeth  and  jaw-bones  acts  as  a  powerful  lever 
in  forcing  a  faulty  development  of  these  structures. 
If  the  nose  is  also  obstructed  the  force  of  the  at- 
mospheric pressure  is  absent,  which  is  one  of  the 
chief  reasons  the  nasal  cavity  remains  undeveloped. 

The  <rWhopper  Jaw."  In  the  other  type,  the 
"whopper- jawed"  variety,  while  the  nasal  ob- 
structions may  have  been  removed,  the  removal 
was  not  done  early  enough  to  prevent  the  molar 
teeth  from  locking  abnormally.  In  addition,  these 
children  usually  have  some  obstruction  at  the 
base  and  the  sides  of  the  tongue,  caused  usually 
by  enlarged  tonsils.  The  lower  jaw  is  drawn  for- 
ward and  downward  by  muscular  action  exerted 
in  order  to  clear  the  mouth  and  throat.  This 
ultimately  crowds  or  jams  the  teeth,  shortens  the 
upper  jaw,  and  gives  an  imperfect  bite. 

It  seems  difficult  to  believe  that  soft  muscular 
tissue  could  influence  such  dense  structures  as 
teeth  and  bones,  yet  such  is  the  case.  The  re- 
straining force  of  the  cheeks,  lips,  and  tongue  tend 
to  keep  in  the  straight  and  narrow  path  teeth 
which  would  otherwise  wander  far  and  wide. 
Should  a  tooth  attempt  to  grow  too  far  toward 
the  tongue,  the  muscular  pressure  of  the  tongue 

101 


Teeth  and  Health 

would — if  there  were  nothing  in  the  way  to  pre- 
vent— eventually  push  it  back  into  line. 

If  the  tooth  took  a  notion  into  its  head  to  grow 
toward  the  cheek  or  lip,  these  muscles  would  act 
to  persuade  the  migrator  to  change  its  mind. 
While  the  muscular  pressure  is  very  gentle,  it  is 
constantly  exerted — just  as  would  be  the  light 
spring  appliance  of  the  orthodontist — and  very 
effectively  accomplishes  its  purpose. 

It  is  estimated  that  about  eighty  per  cent,  of 
children  are  the  victims  of  improperly  placed  teeth 
and  the  undeveloped  mouths  which  result  from 
them,  and  that  one  in  five  is  a  habitual  mouth- 
breather. 

What  Thumb-sucking  Does.  Another  frequent 
and  inexcusable  cause  for  deformities  of  the  ex- 
ternal and  internal  face  is  lip-biting  or  lip-sucking, 
tongue  protrusion,  or  the  pernicious  habit  of 
thumb  or  finger-sucking.  If  mothers  realized  the 
evil  consequences  of  permitting  their  children  to 
suck  their  thumbs  for  hours,  they  would  break 
them  of  the  habit' — no  matter  at  what  cost  to 
their  own  or  to  their  neighbours'  peace  of  mind. 

This  applies  also  to  nursing  nipples  and 
"pacifiers." 

102 


Crooked  Teeth  and  Twisted  Brains 

The  tender  tissues  of  the  infant  or  child  respond 
to  these  continued  pressures  or  pullings,  and 
sometimes  irretrievable  damage  is  done  to  the 
child's  mind  and  body.  It  will  not  do  to  put  on 
mitts  as  a  corrective,  as  biting  and  sucking  upon 
these  rough  fabrics  is  even  worse,  if  anything, 
than  upon  the  fingers. 

Some  device,  such  as  a  celluloid  or  rubber  ball, 
into  which  the  hands  are  thrust,  has  been  found 
excellent  in  preventing  this  thumb-biting. 

As  the  child  approaches  the  age  when  the  per- 
manent teeth  should  put  in  an  appearance,  there 
should  be  in  evidence  a  progressive  widening  of 
the  dental  arch.  Normal  growth-spaces  should 
appear — between  the  front  teeth  especially.  If 
these  spaces  are  lacking,  and  if  the  teeth  are 
crowded  together,  there  will  be  no  room  for  the 
larger  permanent  teeth  to  come  down — or  up. 

They  are  more  likely  to  crowd  in  sidewise,  or 
too  far  backward  or  forward.  Gentle  mechanical 
stimulation  should  be  resorted  to,  in  order  to 
widen  the  spaces,  and  give  the  second  teeth  a 
proper  chance  to  make  their  debut. 

If  a  permanent  tooth  is  extracted,  the  space  it 
occupied  should  be  filled  with  an  artificial  sub- 

103 


Teeth  and  Health 

stitute,  so  as  to  persuade  the  remaining  teeth  to 
remain  in  their  own  position. 

When  the  first  teeth  are  lost  prematurely,  their 
sockets  may  fill  with  new  bony  tissue  sufficiently 
hard  and  dense,  in  many  instances,  to  divert  the 
permanent  tooth  from  its  proper  course  of  growth, 
thereby  forcing  it  to  come  in  sidewise,  or  eater- 
cornered. 

It  might  be  here  mentioned  that  the  advice  to 
wait  until  all  the  permanent  teeth  are  in  position 
before  attempting  orthodontic  correction  is  a  free 
translation  of  telling  the  parent  to  wait  until  the 
teeth  get  as  bad  as  they  possibly  can  get  before 
applying  a  remedy  to  the  trouble.  The  earlier  the 
age  the  softer  the  bone,  and  the  more  rapid  the 
results  which  are  so  much  to  be  desired. 

When  to  Begin  Treatment.  Between  four  and 
six  years  of  age  is  a  splendid  time  to  begin.  More 
can  be  accomplished  in  from  two  to  two  and  a 
half  years  of  treatment  at  this  age  than  in  four  to 
six  years  at  a  later  age.  But  all  cases  should  be 
carefully  watched  until  the  age  of  twelve,  no 
matter  how  early  treatment  may  be  instituted. 

Between  the  sixth  and  the  twentieth  year  the 
distance  between  the  bottom  of  the  lower  eyelid 

104 


Crooked  Teeth  and  Twisted  Brains 

and  the  corner  of  the  mouth  should  increase  to 
between  a  third  and  a  half.  Also,  there  should  be 
a  relative  growth  from  the  ear  forward  to  the 
middle  of  the  upper  lip.  This  development  of  the 
lower  third  of  the  face  accounts  for  the  difference 
between  infant  and  adult  features. 

How  the  Nose  is  Twisted  out  of  Place.  Mal- 
formation of  the  dental  arches  has  caused  the 
septum  of  the  nose  to  be  twisted  out  of  place  or 
bowed,  until  the  entire  nose  is  out  of  normal 
alignment  in  respect  to  the  other  features.  Occa- 
sionally this  twisting  progresses  until  the  entire 
nose  becomes  too  big  on  one  side,  and  correspond- 
ingly too  small  on  the  other.  Then  the  point  of 
the  nose  points  anywhere  but  where  it  should 
point — straight  out  from  the  middle  of  the  face. 

If  the  bulge  in  the  septum  is  sufficiently  promi- 
nent— and  a  little  is  a  whole  lot  when  it  is  inside 
of  the  nose — one  nostril  is  restricted  for  breathing 
purposes — especially  when  its  mucous  membrane 
is  congested  and  swollen  from  a  "cold  in  the  head," 
or  some  other  source  of  irritation. 

With  this  development  of  the  jaws  there  is  also 
a  progressive  growth  behind  the  nose.  For,  inside 
the  head,  above  the  level  of  the  roots  of  the  teeth, 

105 


Teeth  and  Health 

are  many  little  spaces  with  bony  walls.  These 
range  upward  from  the  nose  to  the  forehead,  and 
backward  to  the  bony  casing  of  the  brain.  They 
are  lined  with  mucous  membrane.  Air  breathed 
through  the  nose — the  only  organ  through  which 
air  should  be  inspired  or  expired — is  warmed  and 
moistened  in  these  little  cavities  before  being 
taken  into  the  lungs. 

Whatever  interferes  with  the  mucous  membrane 
and  causes  irritation  and  congestion  cuts  off  the 
blood-supply  of  the  bone  underneath,  and  stops 
its  growth.  Thus  when  the  chest  development 
of  a  rapidly  growing  boy  outruns  his  nose  develop- 
ment, in  addition  to  promoting  in  him  the  habit 
of  mouth-breathing,  it  forces  an  uneven  develop- 
ment of  the  face.  Needless  to  say,  this  is  not 
desirable,  and  is  not  to  be  accepted  as  beyond 
remedy. 

Painless,  if  Done  slowly.  It  is  practically  con- 
ceded that  orthodontia  treatment  is  painless,  if 
done  slowly  and  with  fixed  appliances,  which 
maintain  a  constant  push  or  pull.  There  is  no 
inflammation,  and  but  slight  irritation  around  the 
necks  of  the  teeth  being  moved;  which  is  not  the 
case  when  appliances  are  used  which  set  with  a 

1 06 


Crooked  Teeth  and  Twisted  Brains 

twist  of  a  screw  or  wire,  and  then,  after  an  op- 
portunity to  adjust  the  structures  to  this  tension, 
afe  given  another  twist. 

There  is  a  greater  amount  of  pain  also  where 
appliances  are  worn  which  are  intended  to  be 
removed  while  eating — the  very  time  when  most 
they  are  needed.  Removing  the  regulators  per- 
mits the  teeth  temporarily  to  resume  their  former 
bad  habits,  and  when  they  are  pulled  and  hauled 
again  into  their  new  position  pain  and  inflamma- 
tion are  bound  to  result. 

Of  course,  there  may  be  considerable  discomfort 
from  orthodontia,  but  this  is  due  usually  to  at- 
tempting to  move  too  few  teeth,  or  else  through 
the  wrong  application  of  force. 

The  appliances  should  be  attached  to  bands 
temporarily  cemented  into  place.  This  prevents 
enamel  friction  through  movement  of  the  spring, 
and  also  makes  for  greater  cleanliness  by  prevent- 
ing the  lodgment  of  food  debris. 

Slow  work  with  constant  tension,  gives  best 
results  and  is  more  permanent,  because  the  little 
bone  masons  will  have  done  a  much  more  thorough 
job  of  removing  bone  material  and  building  new 
bone  substance  with  it. 

107 


Teeth  and  Health 

For  the  Best  Results.  The  benefits  derived 
from  this  new  science  of  training  teeth  in  the  way 
they  should  go  are  very  numerous,  and  cover  a 
wide  range.  Children  whose  health  and  mentality 
have  been  marvellously  improved  by  orthodontia 
are  living  testimony  of  its  value. 

And  not  only  in  youth,  but  also  in  later  life  do 
these  benefits  count.  Therefore,  we  may,  without 
straining  a  point,  and  with  due  regard  for  truth, 
paraphrase  an  old  adage  by  saying:  "As  the 
teeth  are  bent,  so  is  the  health  inclined.'* 


108 


CHAPTER  IX 

PYORRHOEA — ITS  CAUSE  AND  CURE 

PYORRHCEA  is  an  inflammation  of  the  dental 
periostium,  and  the  structures  in  which  the  tooth 
is  imbedded,  developing  pus,  and  progressing  to 
the  decay  of  the  tooth  processes,  and  final  loosen- 
ing and  loss  of  the  teeth. 

It  is  calculated  that  ninety  out  of  every  one 
hundred  people  in  the  world  have  pyorrhoea' — or 
conditions  which,  if  untreated,  might  lead  to 
pyorrhoea — which  makes  this  disease  one  of  the 
most  insidious  of  all  human  ailments.  It  is  found 
even  among  savages,  notwithstanding  the  gener- 
ally held  opinion  to  the  contrary. 

Pyorrhoea,  like  all  other  inflammatory  processes, 
is  dependent  upon  three  primary  factors — a  low- 
ered standard  of  nutrition,  traumatic  injury,  and 
malocclusion  of  the  teeth.  This  traumatism  may 
be  invisible;  or  it  may  be  decidedly  apparent. 

Whatever  the  nature  of  the  injury,  the  damage 
109 


Teeth  and  Health 

to  the  blood  vessels  is  so  great  that  all  the  con- 
stituents of  the  lumen  of  the  blood  vessels  pass 
into  the  vascular  spaces  between  the  blood  vessels 
— followed  by  the  usual  changes  characteristic 
of  a  true  inflammation. 

Up  to  this  point  the  process  is  purely  inflamma- 
tory. But  when  this  inflammatory  zone  becomes 
contaminated  by  any  of  the  pus-producing  bugs, 
suppuration  follows,  and  a  local  disorder  is  pro- 
duced. This  is  the  only  condition  to  which  the 
term  "pyorrhoea"  can  be  properly  applied. 

How  Pyorrhoea  Manifests  itself.  The  first 
symptoms  of  pyorrhoea  manifest  themselves  in 
a  tendency  of  the  gums  to  bleed  under  the 
slightest  provocation- — usually  while  brushing  the 
teeth,  or  while  removing  impacted  particles  of 
food  from  between  them  with  dental  floss  or 
toothpick. 

As  the  condition  develops,  the  gums  shrink 
away  from  the  teeth,  thereby  hastening  the  de- 
struction by  malnutrition  of  the  sheath  and  alveo- 
lar process,  the  bony  casing,  and  the  nutrition 
chamber  of  the  tooth. 

How  the  Teeth  are  Lost.  With  the  retraction 
of  the  gums  and  the  destruction  of  the  tissues 

no 


Pyorrhoea— Its  Cause  and  Cure 

investing  the  root,  the  attachments  of  the  teeth 
to  the  socket  in  the  jaw  are  loosened.  In  advanced 
cases  they  become  so  loose  in  the  sockets  that 
sometimes  they  may  be  rocked  back  and  forth,  or 
even  plucked  out  with  the  fingers. 

And  wherever  the  periosteum,  or  bony  casing,  is 
destroyed,  the  soft  tissues  attached  to  it  are  also 
destroyed — increasing  the  ulcerative  process,  to- 
gether with  the  available  supply  of  pus  and  patho- 
genic germs. 

It  must  be  emphasized  here  that  where  the 
membranes  covering  the  roots  of  the  teeth  have 
been  destroyed,  or  where  the  gums  have  receded, 
there  is  no  earthly  hope  of  ever  replacing  this 
tissue — by  any  form  of  treatment. 

Mixing  Pus  and  Food.  And  remember  always  that 
the  pressure  of  mastication  squeezes  the  accumu- 
lated pus  from  around  the  gum  margins  and  the  roots 
of  the  teeth,  where  it  mixes  with  the  food,  and  is 
swallowed.  The  pyorrhoic  patient  thus  becomes 
a  self -feeding,  self-sustaining  poison  factory — con- 
stantly busy  manufacturing  fresh  supplies  of  pus. 
These  are  absorbed  into  the  circulation,  or  carried 
into  the  digestive  and  respiratory  tracts — there  to 
take  advantage  of  any  lowered  resistance  to  start 

in 


Teeth  and  Health 

the  particular  kinds  of  mischief  best  adapted  to 
their  germ-nature. 

Try  to  Stimulate  a  Healthy  Local  Nutrition.  If 
a  healthy  local  nutrition  can  be  stimulated,  the 
disease  process  may  be  arrested,  however,  and 
some  slight  increase  in  the  development  of  root- 
covering  and  gums  may  be  expected:  but  these 
strikingly  favourable  results  are  the  rare  excep- 
tions— not  the  usual  rule. 

The  most  Vulnerable  Areas.  In  health,  the 
oral  mucous  membranes  offer  a  resisting  barrier  to 
keep  germs  from  gaining  entrance  into  the  under- 
lying tissues.  The  most  vulnerable  areas  are  the 
gingival  tissues  surrounding  each  tooth.  So  long 
as  these  remain  in  a  healthy  state,  infection  can- 
not break  through.  But  when  local  irritants, 
such  as  impacted  and  decayed  food-stuffs,  over- 
hanging fillings,  irritating  masses  of  tartar,  and 
other  foreign  substances  excite  chronic  inflam- 
mation of  the  gingival  or  gum  tissues,  resistance 
is  lowered,  and  the  normal  tone  of  the  tissues  is 
lost. 

So  the  various  forms  of  gingival  inflammation 
favour  the  development  of  pyorrhceal  conditions, 
and  open  the  way  for  invasion  by  the  germs  into 

112 


Pyorrhoea— Its  Cause  and  Cure 

the  deeper  tissues,  and  from  thence  into  the  gen- 
eral system. 

Keep  the  Gingival  Tissues  Free  from  Inflam- 
mation. If  we  could  always  keep  the  gingival 
tissues  free  from  irritation  and  inflammation,  they 
would  invariably  remain  healthy. 

While  the  treatment  of  advanced  pyorrhoea  is 
a  very  difficult  undertaking,  the  prevention  of 
pyorrhceal  conditions  is  a  most  hopeful  proposi- 
tion. Oral  hygiene,  directed  to  restoring  normal 
circulation  to  the  congested  gum  tissues;  the 
removal  of  all  sources  of  local  irritation — especially 
where  this  irritation  extends  down  to  the  necks  of 
the  teeth  below  the  gum  margins — will  prove 
most  efficient  in  preventing  the  development  of 
pyorrhceal  disease. 

Various  Sources  of  Irritation.  As  we  have  seen 
pyorrhoea  has  its  origin  in  mechanical  irritation — 
in  inflammation  around  the  roots  of  the  teeth, 
particularly  of  the  "narrow-necked"  variety — 
excited  by  ill-fitting  crowns,  over-hanging  margins 
of  improperly  constructed  fillings,  or  through 
stony  substances  (called  serumal  calculi),  depos- 
ited from  the  saliva  or  the  blood  stream.  Ex- 
tensions of  the  tooth  enamel  also  press  upon  the 


Teeth  and  Health 

gums,  causing  irritation  and  sponginess,  which 
favour  the  breaking  and  entry  of  the  pathological 
germs  into  the  ramparts  of  the  teeth  roots. 

If  the  Teeth  Do  Not  Close  Together  Properly. 
I  am  also  convinced  that  one  of  the  principal 
causes  of  pyorrhoea  is  malocclusion  or  improper 
closure  of  the  teeth.  The  failure  of  the  upper  and 
the  lower  teeth  properly  to  oppose  one  another 
(because  of  anatomical  malformation  of  either 
jaws  or  teeth)  causes  a  "mis-bite."  A  mild  form 
of  rotation  is  maintained  by  the  pressures  of  mas- 
tication, and  this  continued  rocking  of  the  teeth 
predisposes  to  their  loosening,  and  to  the  invasion 
of  their  attachments  by  micro-organisms. 

Teeth  more  Healthy  when  they  Occlude 
properly.  It  is  a  scientific  fact  that  when  the 
teeth  occlude  perfectly — other  factors  being  equal 
— there  is  invariably  a  more  healthy  condition  of 
the  teeth  and  gums. 

Also,  it  has  been  my  experience  that  where  these 
irregularities  exist,  fully  ninety  per  cent,  of  cases 
have  been  entirely  neglected  so  far  as  concerns 
any  constructive  effort  to  close  the  spaces  where 
teeth  have  been  lost  or  extracted,  and  correct  the 
faulty  occlusion. 

114 


Pyorrhoea — Its  Cause  and  Cure 

No  dentist  should  feel  that  his  work  is  finished 
when  he  has  extracted  a  tooth.  For  no  matter 
what  the  age  of  the  patient,  the  jaw  is  never 
restored  to  normal  again,  until  the  space  between 
the  teeth  has  been  filled,  and  the  grinding  surfaces 
are  once  more  intact. 

Not  Necessary  to  "  T^ill  the  Nerve  "  to  Put  on  a 
Bridge.  It  is  not  necessary  to  devitalize  the  teeth 
for  this  purpose,  as  comfortable  and  satisfactory 
bridges  can  be  built  for  even  the  most  unfavour- 
able-seeming cases  with  the  exercise  of  a  little 
patience  and  ingenuity. 

So  I  would  impress  upon  mothers  that,  for  the 
sake  of  the  future  health  of  their  children,  and  as 
one  of  the  most  certain  of  all  methods  of  prevent- 
ing the  subsequent  development  of  pyorrhoea,  that 
whenever  they  have  found  it  necessary  to  have  a 
tooth  extracted,  they  should  make  it  their  busi- 
ness to  see  that,  at  the  very  earliest  opportunity, 
this  space  is  filled,  and  the  valuable  grinding  sur- 
face restored,  by  the  insertion  of  a  properly  fitted 
piece  of  bridge-work. 

Five  Thousand  Pounds  Pressure  a  Day  by  Our 
Jaws.  It  must  be  remembered  that  the  weight 
borne  by  the  grinding  surfaces  of  the  teeth  in 

"5 


Teeth  and  Health 

twenty-four  hours  has  been  estimated  at  more 
than  five  thousand  pounds.  The  pressure  thus 
caused  by  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  teeth  in  the  tooth 
sockets  operates  to  squeeze  any  infective  material 
that  may  be  present  in  the  tooth  sockets  or  around 
the  gum  margins  forcing  it  into  the  blood  stream 
and  the  lymph  channels — there  to  be  carried 
through  the  circulation,  to  poison  the  structures 
of  the  body,  and  to  manifest  their  virulency  in 
those  tissues  that  may  show  the  least  resistance  to 
their  invasion. 

Some  of  the  Things  Pyorrhoea  Does  to  Us. 
Among  other  effects  produced  by  pyorrhoea  are 
inflammation  of  the  glands  of  the  mouth  and  neck, 
suppuration  of  the  tonsils,  abscesses  of  the  antrum 
of  Highmore — the  bony  cavity  between  the  top 
of  the  long-rooted  canine  teeth  and  the  floor  of  the 
nasal  cavity — infections  of  the  nose  and  throat, 
and  diseases  of  the  middle  ear. 

The  Germs  Get  stronger  as  they  go  deeper. 
It  is  a  fact,  also,  that  their  virulence  and  their 
power  to  cause  injury  multiplies  as  these  germs 
penetrate  the  tissues,  and  as  they  increase  in 
numbers. 

There  are  many,  of  course,  who  contend  that 
116 


Pyorrhoea — Its  Cause  and  Cure 

Riggs's  disease  is  of  systemic  origin — arising  in 
some  depraved  state  of  the  metabolism,  or  from 
the  presence  of  rachitis  during  childhood,  or  of 
tuberculosis,  syphilis,  diabetes,  Blight's,  or  di- 
minished alkalinity  of  the  blood.  All  these  con- 
ditions, in  a  way,  do  influence  the  development 
of  pyorrhoea.  But  they  are  not  direct  causative 
factors. 

Other  authorities  claim,  with  perhaps  equally 
good  grounds,  that  pyorrhoea  is  due  to  a  neglected 
state  of  the  exudates,  secretions,  and  debris  of 
the  mouth,  which  subsequently  develop  a  local 
inflammatory  process. 

With  this  clear  conception  of  the  inception  and 
pathology  of  pyorrhoea,  the  reason  why  the  den- 
tist should  always  work  hand  in  hand  with  the 
physician  is  definitely  apparent. 

The  Meaning  of  Tartar.  Associated  with  py- 
orrhoea there  is  usually,  but  not  always,  a  tendency 
to  form  tartar  deposits  on  the  teeth,  and  especially 
on  the  necks  of  the  teeth,  down  below  the  gum 
margins. 

This  tartar  is  merely  the  result  of  a  combination 
of  certain  secretions  of  the  mouth,  mixed  with 
mineral  and  organic  substances  derived  from  the 

117 


Teeth  and  Health 

foods — usually  in  the  presence  of  the  pathological 
mouth  acids. 

By  keeping  the  mouth  secretions  more  alkaline 
— using  baking  soda,  salt,  or  milk  of  magnesia  for 
this  purpose — much  of  this  tendency  to  tartar 
formation  can  be  prevented. 

How  to  Treat  Pyorrhoea.  As  to  the  first  need 
in  successful  treatment  of  pyorrhoea,  there  is  no 
question.  It  is  necessary  to  scale  thoroughly  all 
calcareous  deposits  from  the  teeth — no  matter  how 
far  up  or  down  beneath  the  gum  margins  they  may 
have  extended — polishing  and  burnishing  care- 
fully all  infected  tooth  surfaces. 

Iodine  Helps  materially.  Iodine,  or  some 
powerful  antiseptic — used  locally  around  the  roots 
of  the  teeth,  and  at  the  gum  margins,  helps  ma- 
terially to  asepticize  the  mouth — or  at  least  to 
lower  its  toxic  condition. 

I  have  found  also  that  chlorazene  (Dakin's  solu- 
tion, generally  referred  to  as  Dakin's  synthetic 
chlorine-carrying  antiseptic)  in  one  half  to  one 
per  cent,  strength,  has  given  most  excellent  re- 
sults— especially  when  used  at  home  by  patients 
for  its  local  antiseptic  action.  I  have  also  found 
that  excellent  supplementary  treatment  in  con- 

118 


Pyorrhoea— Its  Cause  and  Cure 

nection  with  the  chlorazene  is  the  aromatic  chlora- 
zene  powder,  which  is  coming  into  quite  general 
use  by  dentists,  and  is  especially  recommended 
for  home  use.  This  powder,  to  my  mind,  is  an 
ideal  preparation  for  the  patient  to  use  at  home, 
as  it  is  really  of  powerful  germicidal  value,  as 
well  as  being  a  most  effective  cleansing  agent. 

It  is  almost  needless  to  say  that  the  "Clean 
Out,  Clean  Up,  And  Keep  Clean"  practice  is 
always  a  valuable  aid  in  the  treatment  of  pyor- 
rhoea, as  in  the  treatment  of  any  other  depraved 
state  of  the  organism.  For  elimination  is  quite  as 
imperatively  demanded  in  a  pus-producing  process 
originating  in  the  mouth,  as  it  is  in  a  pus-produc- 
ing process  originating  in  any  other  organ  or 
structure  of  the  body. 

Bacterial  Vaccines.  Bacterial  vaccines  have 
found  much  favour  in  the  hands  of  many  experts 
on  the  treatment  of  pyorrhoea. 

My  experience,  while  favourable,  has  not  been 
sufficiently  extensive  to  warrant  a  definite  state- 
ment at  this  time  as  to  the  actual  value  of  the 
measure. 

As  with  any  innovation  in  dental  or  medical 
treatment,  many  hundreds  of  cases,  with  histories 

119 


Teeth  and  Health 

extending  over  many  months  of  time,  must  be 
given  careful  consideration,  before  a  final  decision 
as  to  efficacy  or  non-efficacy  can  be  reached. 

Emetine  in  Pyorrhoea.  Dr.  Eugene  Lyman  Fisk, 
Director  of  Hygiene  of  the  Life  Extension  In- 
stitute, New  York,  believes  that  there  is  consider- 
able evidence  to  prove  that  pyorrhoea  is  frequently 
caused  by  the  presence  of  an  amoeboid  germ, 
called  "endemeba."  The  Life  Extension  Insti- 
tute people  claim  that,  in  practically  every  case 
examined  in  this  Institute,  these  endemeba  are 
present,  but  what  is  more  important,  that  they 
can  be  destroyed  with  emetine,  which  is  the  active 
principle  of  ipecac. 

Ipecac  and  its  principles  seem  to  destroy  these 
parasites  quite  as  surely  and  certainly  as  quinine 
destroys  the  plasmodium  of  malaria. 

The  method  usually  employed  is  to  drop  three 
drops  of  the  tincture  of  the  wine  of  ipecac  on  a 
toothbrush,  and  brush  the  teeth  thoroughly  with 
this  amcebacidal  preparation.  I  have  seen  some 
very  excellent  results  from  this  in  my  practice. 

The  "  1-2-3  "  Mixture.  Or  the  "  1-2-3  "  mixture, 
recommended  by  Dr.  Black,  may  be  used.  This 
consists  of 

120 


Pyorrhoea— Its  Cause  and  Cure 

Oil  of  cinnamon,  one  part, 
Carbolic  acid,  two  parts, 
Oil  of  gaultheria,  three  parts 

— a  few  drops  to  be  used  on  the  toothbrush  morn- 
ing and  night — followed  possibly  by  rinsing  the 
mouth  with  a  solution  of  hydrogen -dioxide,  one 
part,  to  two  parts  of  water. 

How  to  Prevent  Pyorrhoea.  Pyorrhoea  can  be 
prevented  by  general  care  of  the  health,  and  by 
competent  dental  care.  The  gums  should  be 
treated  surgically,  removing  completely  all  deposits 
of  calculi  and  tartar.  The  occlusion  should  be 
made  normal,  and  lost  teeth  should  be  replaced. 

Dr.  William  H.  Porter,  Professor  Emeritus  of 
Pathology  and  Clinical  Medicine  of  the  New 
York  Post-Graduate  Medical  School  and  Hospital, 
and  author  of  Eating  To  Live  Long,  sums  up 
the  treatment  of  pyorrhoea  in  one  brief  sentence, 
which  embraces  the  entire  philosophy  of  successful 
pyorrhoea  treatment. 

Professor  Porter  says:  "Keep  the  pus  flowing, 
keep  the  surfaces  clean,  so  that  Nature  will  be 
enabled,  by  the  germ-resisting  action  of  the  white 
corpuscles,  to  throw  up  a  barrier,  behind  which 
the  germs  cannot  thrive." 

121 


Teeth  and  Health 

This  is  the  beginning,  the  middle,  and  the  end 
of  all  pyorrhceal  treatment. 
Give  the  Teeth  and  Gums  Work  to  Do.    Hard, 

crusty  food,  and  green  salads  should  be  chewed, 
so  that  the  teeth  and  gums  may  be  given  needed 
exercise,  and  the  resistance  of  the  gum  structures 
improved. 

Also,  the  gums  should  be  massaged  daily  by 
the  thumb  and  forefinger.  This  strips  away  the 
collections  from  about  the  gingival  spaces,  and 
stimulates  a  healthier  circulation  of  blood  in  the 
parts. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  that  a  wonderful  amount 
of  good  can  be  accomplished  in  the  treatment  of 
pyorrhoea,  if  this  treatment  is  persistently  and 
systematically  followed  out.  But  everyone  who 
undertakes  it  must  realize  that  it  is  a  condition 
that  calls  for  the  employment  of  skill,  resources, 
and  infinite  patience. 


122 


CHAPTER  X 

FOCAL  INFECTIONS 

TWENTY  years  ago  the  man  who  would  claim 
that  a  little  "gum  boil'*  could  be  the  direct  cause 
of  an  attack  of  rheumatism  in  the  big  toe  would 
have  to  dodge  quickly,  to  avoid  being  haled  into 
court  on  a  writ  of  lunatico  de  inquirendo. 

Yet  in  this  gum  boil — which  indicates  the  pres- 
ence of  pus  at  the  root  or  necks  of  infected  teeth — 
may  breed  streptococcus  viridans  and  the  strepto- 
coccus hemolyticus,  the  staphylococcus  aureous 
and  albus,  fusiform  bacilli,  and  many  other  germs 
with  many-syllabled  names — capable,  when  prop- 
erly distributed  throughout  the  system,  of  pro- 
ducing grave  pathological  conditions  in  vulnerable 
organs  and  structures. 

We  now  Know  what  Focal  Infection  Does- 
Thanks  to  the  researches  of  Billings,  Davis,  Wood- 
yat,  Rosenow,  and  other  physiologists  and  path- 
ologists.  and  to  the  clinical  experiments  of  Cotton, 

123 


Teeth  and  Health 

of  New  Jersey,  Dr.  Eugene  Lyman  Fisk,  of  New 
York,  and  other  clinicians,  dentists,  and  patholo- 
gists,  we  now  know  that  not  only  may  these 
"focal  infection  points'*  at  the  roots  of  teeth  and 
around  infected  gum  margins  cause  rheumatism, 
but  that  they  are  also  a  factor  in  causing  thou- 
sands of  cases  of  Bright 's  disease  and  diabetes, 
diseases  of  the  gall  bladder  and  the  respiratory 
passages,  and  gastric  and  duodenal  ulcers. 

They  May  even  Block  the  Circulation  with 
their  Bodies.  It  was  formerly  thought  that  the 
evil  results  from  focal  conditions  such  as  dental 
abscesses  and  pyorrhoea  were  due  to  the  absorp- 
tion of  the  poisonous  substances  formed  by  the 
bacteria,  both  living  and  dead — and  the  dead 
are  infinitely  more  dangerous  than  the  living. 

But  now  we  know  that  these  organisms  and 
their  toxic  de"bris,  while  being  carried  through  the 
circulation,  may,  in  addition  to  their  inherent 
capacity  for  poisonous  mischief,  also  cause  a 
mechanical  obstruction  of  the  circulation — block- 
ing up  some  of  the  finer  blood  vessels — thereby 
impairing  the  nutrition  of  such  structures,  as  the 
joints,  which  haven't  much  vascularity — in  other 
words,  in  which  the  blood  circulation  is  deficient. 

124 


Focal  Infections 

Chronic  rheumatism  is  a  manifestation  of  this 
type  of  action,  which  may  be  characterized  by 
swelling  and  inflammation  of  the  joints,  or  which 
may  result  in  actual  deformity  and  enlargement 
of  the  joints — as  in  ' 'arthritis  deformans." 

We  Didn't  Find  out  about  Rheumatism  until 
1914.  This  relation  of  infected  teeth  and  rheu- 
matism was  first  demonstrated  by  Dr.  T.  W. 
Hastings  in  1914,  and  is  considered  by  medical 
men  to  be  one  of  the  most  significant  discoveries  of 
modern  times.  In  fact,  the  very  modernity  of 
these  findings  will  show  why  the  general  pub- 
lic has  not  yet  become  more  familiar  with  this 
important  work — although  this  fact  does  not,  in 
the  slightest,  detract  from  the  paramount  im- 
portance of  the  principle. 

How  the  Nerves  may  be  Poisoned.  The  poison- 
ing of  the  blood  by  these  organisms  also  poisons 
the  nerves — producing  headaches,  neuralgias,  and 
nervous  symptoms — as  well  as  neuritis  and  other 
inflammatory  or  irritated  conditions  of  the  nerves. 

What  the  Liver  Thinks  of  It.  The  liver,  unable 
to  cope  with  the  extra  toxicity  of  the  blood  stream, 
develops  chronic  congestion,  or  torpor.  It  fails 
properly  to  strain  the  poisons  out  of  the  blood, 

125 


Teeth  and  Health 

and  we  become  "  bilious"  and  lethargic,  lacking 
in,  ambition. 

Sleep  fails  to  refresh  us  as  it  should.  Food  does 
not  digest  so  well.  The  bowels  become  sluggish 
and  inactive — increasing  the  general  toxic  condi- 
tion, and  adding  to  the  debility  and  lack  of  tone. 

Or  the  liver  may  ultimately  become  hardened 
and  atrophied.  So  * '  hobnailed  liver' '  may  originate 
quite  as  frequently  from  the  teeth  of  a  teetotaler 
as  it  may  from  the  fiery  tipple  of  the  toper. 

Even  Bright's  Disease  May  Originate  from 
Focal  Infections.  And  similar  ill  effects  may  be- 
fall the  kidneys  or  the  pancreas — resulting  in 
nephritis  (or  Bright's  disea3e)  or  diabetes — if  not 
directly  due  to  germ  activities,  in  any  event,  to 
their  ultimate  effects. 

Frequently  the  germs  which  originate  in  decay- 
ing teeth  or  in  focal  infection  points  in  the  oral 
cavity  develop  * 'secondary  foci"  in  the  lungs, 
blood  vessels,  and  other  organs — which  may  be 
the  cause  of  far  more  serious  trouble  than  the 
original  infection  in  the  mouth. 

Dr.  Barker,  of  Johns  Hopkins  University,  has 
reported  a  number  of  cases  of  pernicious  anaemia 
(for  which,  hitherto,  there  has  been  thought  to  be 

126 


Focal  Infections 

no  cure)  which  cleared  up  after  the  extraction  of 
infected  teeth. 

And  Dr.  M.  L.  Ravitch  and  Dr.  S.  A.  Steinberg, 
writing  in  the  Journal  of  the  American  Medical 
Association,  claim  to  have  secured  remarkable  re- 
sults in  the  treatment  of  skin  diseases,  by  accord- 
ing the  teeth  the  attention  to  which  they  are 
entitled.  It  is  particularly  gratifying  to  refer  to 
these  authorities,  as  their  results  confirm  similar 
experiences  which  have  become  almost  routine  in 
my  practice. 

Appendicitis  from  Tooth-decay.  Appendicitis 
— according  to  Frank  Billings — is  usually  caused 
by  a  strain  of  the  streptococcus  group  of  germs  from 
a  mouth  or  throat  focus.  This  may  seem  rather  a 
startling  assertion,  but  there  is  much  evidence  to 
support  the  claim. 

The  primary  focal  points,  where  the  germs  make 
their  initial  bow  to  their  unfortunate  possessor,  is 
a  sort  of  culture  tube  for  improving  the  strain  of 
bugs  by  cross-breeding,  as  it  were.  For  Dr.  Rose- 
now  has  shown  that  in  the  mouth,  tooth  sockets, 
middle  ear,  and  cavities  of  the  bones  of  the  face 
and  head  communicating  with  the  nasal  chamber — 
together  with  the  tonsils — the  most  dangerous 

127 


Teeth  and  Health 

infective  germs  are  the  pneumonia  germs  and  the 
streptococcus,  or  pus-forming  germ,  found  in  a 
number  of  forms  of  blood  poison. 

A  Germ  Hatchery.  These  organisms,  Rosenow 
declares,  are  capable  of  being  transformed  into 
germs  of  an  entirely  different  strain,  or  into  some 
intermediate  form,  and  that  these  intermediate 
forms  or  strange  strains,  have  special  affinities  for 
particular  tissues  in  which  they  can  best  thrive. 

Ideal  Culture  Tubes  in  the  Head.  In  short, 
the  tooth  sockets,  the  hollow  bones  of  the  head, 
and  other  head  and  throat  foci,  furnish  ideal  cul- 
ture tubes  for  the  breeding  of  bacilli.  The  varying 
physical  conditions  of  these  foci — especially  as  to 
the  amount  of  the  oxygen  present — (oxygen  being 
an  inhibiting  factor  in  most  germ  development) 
determine  the  type,  and  also  the  final  destination 
of  the  germs  thus  developed. 

Only  Three  Billion  Bacteria  in  the  Mouth.  Dr. 
Miller  has  estimated  that  there  may  be  three 
billion  bacteria  in  a  neglected  mouth — and  almost 
sixty  different  varieties  of  these !  In  a  mouth  like 
this  it  wouldn't  matter  much  whether  pure  food 
is  pure  or  not. 

For  no  kind  of  adulterated  or  disorganized  food 
128 


Focal  Infections 

could  be  any  worse  than  the  stuff  the  individual 
owning  this  mouth  will  finally  swallow — after 
properly  mixing  it  with  tooth  pus  and  a  few  million 
of  his  favourite  bacteria. 

So,  decayed  teeth  may  develop  diseases  of  the 
eyes  and  ears,  purulent  conditions  in  the  accessory 
sinuses — the  hollow  bones  of  the  face  and  head — 
liberation  of  the  tonsils,  and  enlargement  of  the 
glands  of  the  neck. 

And  "heart  disease"  produced  by  the  formation 
of  scar  tissue  on  the  valves  of  the  heart,  or  by 
inflammation  of  its  lining  membrane,  has  been 
traced  to  infection  arising  in  the  mouth.  While 
almost  every  other  disease  of  a  generally  infectious 
nature  has  been  demonstrated  to  have  its  source 
in  some  process  of  decay  originating  in  the  oral 
cavity. 

These  diseases  are  not  only  serious  in  them- 
selves, but  they  may  leave  behind  them  trains  of 
symptoms  (sequellae),  which  might  later  result  in 
degenerative  changes  in  the  heart  valves,  in  the 
walls  of  the  blood  vessels  or  in  the  structure  of  the 
liver,  kidneys,  and  other  vital  organs — tending 
inevitably  to  breed  organic  disorders  and  a  short- 
ened life. 

0  129 


Teeth  and  Health 

Bad  Teeth  and  Goitre  Found  Together.     Dr. 

William  FitzGerald  contends  that  in  an  experience 
with  hundreds  of  patients  he  never  yet  has  seen  a 
case  of  goitre  in  which  there  was  not  originally 
some  infection  from  a  necrotic  tooth  pulp,  or 
from  the  pus  pockets  of  gums  affected  by  Rigg's 
disease;  while  there  is  now  no  doubt  but  that 
innumerable  cases  of  epilepsy  have  been  traced  to 
nerve  irritation — either  stimulated  or  excited  by 
the  presence  of  carious  teeth. 

Coughs,  Colds,  and  Dyspepsia.  The  tendency 
toward  recurring  attacks  of  coughs  and  colds  is 
invariably  aggravated,  and  frequently  developed, 
by  a  septic  mouth  condition. 

Also,  thousands  of  dyspeptics  are  made  so  and 
kept  so  by  nothing  more  or  less  unaesthetic  and 
inexcusable  than  the  constant  swallowing  of  pus 
from  decaying  teeth  and  gums — taken  into  the 
stomach  with  every  mouthful  of  food  and  drink. 

This,  in  turn,  leads  to  anaemia,  malnutrition, 
arteriosclerosis,  and  diseases  of  the  blood  ves- 
sels, and  the  lowering  of  vital  resistance — which 
increases  our  vulnerability  to  all  forms  of  infection. 
And  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  many  of  the  lesser 
ills  of  the  body — taking  the  form  of  soreness  of 

130 


Focal  Infections 

the  joints,  tissues,  muscles,  and  nerves — may  fre- 
quently find  their  origin  in  some  slight  infection 
within  the  oral  cavity. 

Curing  the  Insane.  The  classical  experiments 
f  of  Dr.  Henry  A.  Cotton,  Medical  Director  of  the 
I  New  Jersey  State  Hospital,  at  Trenton,  have 
|  proved  also,  beyond  the  shadow  of  a  doubt,  the 
(  destructive  influences  of  focal  infection  upon  brain 
functioning. 

For,  by  recognizing  the  fact  that  mental  disease 
may  be  the  result  of  infections,  and  of  the  toxins 
due  to  focal  infections,  Dr.  Cotton  and  his  asso- 
ciates have  been  able  to  discharge  87%  of  patients 
admitted  to  the  New  Jersey  State  Hospital  during 
a  period  of  nine  months.  Whereas,  during  a  period 
of  ten  years  previous,  the  proportion  of  discharges 
to  admissions  was  only  43%. 

Saving  Twice  as  Many  from  Madness.  In 
other  words,  the  recognition  of  the  r61e  played  by 
focal  infection,  and  the  elimination  of  these  focal 
points  by  appropriate  treatment,  has  doubled  the 
number  of  patients  saved  from  life-long  crippling 
of  their  reason. 

What  this  would  mean — were  the  same  ratio  of 
improvement  to  follow  the  systematic  removal  of 


Teeth  and  Health 

focal  infections  in  every  patient  now  confined  in 
an  asylum- — could  be  readily  computed,  in  terms 
of  the  actual  number  of  patients  helped. 

But  the  real  results — the  definite  restoration  to 
mental  health  of  the  one  out  of  every  two  mental 
derelicts  now  drifting  inexorably  toward  the  black 
gulf  of  physical  oblivion — could  be  computed  only 
by  some  bright  angel,  with  a  heart  full  of  love  for 
broken  humanity,  and  a  brain  to  comprehend  the 
meaning  of  this  restoration — to  the  derelicts  them- 
selves, and  to  the  sad  hearts  of  those  who  now 
mourn  them  as  worse  than  dead. 

How  the  Virulency  of  the  Colon  Bacillus  is 
Stimulated  by  Diseased  Mouth  Conditions.  Dr. 
Cotton,  in  discussing  the  subject  of  insanity  and 
tooth  decay  in  the  Journal  of  Dental  Research,  says : 

i.  In  about  twenty-five  per  cent,  of  our  cases  the  teeth 
f  alone  are  the  etiological  (the  causative)  factor.  In 
another  group  of  about  twenty-five  per  cent,  both 
teeth  and  tonsils  are  involved,  and  have  to  be  elimi- 
nated, if  we  wish  to  restore  our  patients.  In  a  third 
group,  about  fifty  per  cent.,  the  gastro-intestinal 
tract  is  also  involved,  with  either  the  teeth  or  the 
tonsils,  or  both;  and  we  did  not  get  any  results  in 
this  class  until  we  were  able  to  determine  the  types  of 
infection,  and  establish  means  for  their  elimination. 

132 


Focal  Infections 

One  might  with  reason  ask  "why  bring  in  gastro- 
intestinal infection  in  discussing  teeth,  a  purely  den- 
tal problem?"  The  explanation  lies  in  the  fact  that 
the  infected  teeth,  or  the  bacteria  concerned  in  this 
infection,  have  a  direct  and  very  important  relation 
to  the  pernicious  activity  of  the  colon  bacillus.  This 
organism  occurs  normally  in  the  lower  intestinal  tract. 
Outside  of  its  normal  habitat  (dwelling  place)  it  is 
extremely  toxic;  it  loses  its  benign  character  and 
becomes  pathological. 

To  the  question  "what  causes  the  benign  colon 
bacillus  to  become  virulent  and  migrate  to  other 
organs,"  we  frankly  answer,  we  do  not  know.  We 
do  know,  however,  that  in  the  stomach,  duodenum, 
and  kidneys,  it  is  usually  associated  with  Strepto- 
coccus viridans ;  and  it  would  be  well  within  the  range 
of  probabilities  that  this  fatter  organism,  by  its  toxic 
influence,  stimulates  the  colon  bacillus  to  virulency. 

Consequently,  while  apparently  we  can  see  no  rela- 
tion between  infected  teeth  and  intestinal  infections 
of  a  chronic  type,  clinically  there  is  a  very  close  rela- 
tion. It  is  well  for  the  dental  profession  to  recognize 
all  the  consequences  and  results  of  chronic  root  infec- 
tion, and  to  end,  once  and  for  all,  this  far-reaching 
and  dangerous  type. 

Treating  Rheumatism  through  the  Teeth.     In 

the  merely  physical  conditions  the  results  of  prop- 
erly caring  for  focal  infection  are  not  less  startling. 
In  one  of  my  patients,  treated  by  Dr.  Malcolm 

133 


Teeth  and  Health 

Goodrich,  an  acute  rheumatism  had  existed  for 
three  months — which  condition  absolutely  inca- 
pacitated the  man  from  any  activity.  The  suffer- 
ings of  this  patient  were  so  great  that  he  had  to 
be  carefully  watched,  day  and  night,  to  prevent 
suicide. 

Every  joint  in  his  body  was  involved  in  the 
inflammatory  process — even  his  face  and  arms 
were  swollen.  He  had  not  slept  in  more  than  three 
weeks,  except  under  the  influence  of  an  opiate. 
Every  conceivable  form  of  medical  treatment, 
including  hot  air  baths  and  electricity,  had  been 
employed  on  him — without  avail. 

Yet,  after  the  extraction  of  two  or  three  necrosed 
roots,  this  man  within  ten  days,  was  so  far  re- 
covered as  to  be  able  to  return  to  his  business, 
and  is  today  in  perfect  physical  health. 

Improving  the  Sight  by  Dental  Work.  A  case 
of  double  astigmatism — with  pains  radiating  from 
the  eye-ball  to  the  forehead  and  the  top  of  the 
head — was  relieved  instantly,  following  the  remov- 
al of  a  root  imbedded  in  the  gum  tissue  under  an 
old  bridge.  This  woman  had  lumps  in  her  shoul- 
der— little  skin  tumours — and  had  suffered  for 
months  from  a  persistent  neuralgia.  She  asked 

134 


Focal  Infections 

whether  her  teeth  had  anything  to  do  with  her 
condition.  The  doctors  had  told  her  that  she 
had  tuberculosis. 

We  examined  her  mouth,  and  told  her  that  she 
had  pyorrhoea,  and  some  very  bad  tooth  condi- 
tions. She  was  started  on  injections  of  emetine 
for  the  pyorrhoea,  and  told  that  certain  of  her 
teeth  would  have  to  come  out.  She  was  evidently 
scared  into  accepting  this  suggestion,  so  the  teeth 
were  extracted. 

Almost  immediately  she  said,  "I  feel  better 
already." 

The  following  morning  she  came  in  to  have  the 
sockets  washed  out.  She  entered  in  great  excite- 
ment, and  said:  " Doctor,  do  you  know  you  have 
restored  my  sight?"  She  pointed  to  the  ^Eolian 
Building,  a  short  distance  from  my  office,  and 
said,  "It  has  been  years  since  I  have  been  able  to 
see  that  building  from  this  distance.  You  don't 
know  what  a  change  there  is  in  me — all  the  world 
looks  different.  I  have  had  to  wear  these  double 
astigmatism  glasses  for  years,  but  my  eyes  are  all 
right  now.  I  do  not  need  any  glasses." 

This  woman  now  feels  that  she  has  been  given 
a  new  lease  of  life.  There  has  been  no  recurrence 

135 


Teeth  and  Health  . 

of  the  neuralgia  or  the  headaches,  and  while  she 
still  wears  glasses,  the  degree  of  correction  is  not 
nearly  so  great.  I  consider  this  altogether  a  most 
interesting  case. 

How  "Nervous  Wrecks"  are  Repaired.  An- 
other "nervous  wreck  "  who  suffered  from  chronic 
neuralgia,  insomnia,  pains  in  the  head,  and  a 
general  breakdown  in  all  the  functions  of  metabo- 
lism, and  who  found  it  utterly  impossible  to  attend 
to  even  the  most  trivial  details,  was  found,  on 
X-ray  examination,  to  have  an  infected  area 
around  an  upper  right  molar. 

This  tooth  was  extracted.  Since  then  this  pa- 
tient has  had  not  the  slightest  recurrence  of  his 
trouble.  It  is  the  common  neglect  of  these  con- 
ditions that  is  responsible  for  thousands  of  cases 
of  chronic  disease,  and  hundreds  of  deaths,  in 
every  part  of  the  country. 

Helping  the  Head  through  the  Teeth.  One 
patient  came  in  to  have  me  remove  gold  crowns 
put  in  by  some  other  dentist.  While  he  was 
having  this  work  done  he  suggested  I  fix  up  his 
mouth — replace  missing  molars  on  lower  jaws, 
both  sides,  replace  missing  teeth  on  upper  jaw, 
both  sides,  and  replace  missing  teeth  in  front  of 

136 


Focal  Infections 

mouth.  Before  I  use  any  teeth  for  constructive 
work,  I  always  make  a  practice  of  taking  an 
X-ray  to  find  out  condition  of  the  roots  as  to 
location,  shape,  and  direction  in  which  the  root 
lies.  When  I  took  this  picture  this  man  took  it 
upon  himself  to  say  he  never  had  any  trouble 
with  these  teeth;  that  it  was  not  necessary  to 
take  the  X-ray.  I  told  him  he  would  have  to 
be  guided  by  my  judgment. 

When  the  pictures  were  developed  I  noticed  a 
large  area  of  infection  around  the  root  of  the  first 
bicuspid  tooth  on  the  upper  left  side.  I  asked 
this  man  how  he  had  been  feeling.  He  said  his 
head  had  been  bothering  him  so  that  it  was  neces- 
sary for  him  to  give  up  business  two  or  three  days 
a  week,  go  home,  and  do  something  for  his  head. 
Doctors  could  not  find  out  what  was  the  matter. 
They  were  making  him  take  all  kinds  of  treatment 
for  headache. 

When  I  saw  the  X-ray  I  recommended  the  re- 
moval of  the  tooth,  to  which  he  heartily  agreed. 
After  the  extraction  he  felt  almost  immediate 
relief.  I  am  happy  to  state  we  are  still  waiting 
for  a  recurrence  of  his  headaches. 

How  to  Clear  up  a  Sallow  Complexion.  One  of 
137 


Teeth  and  Health 

the  most  striking  cases  I  have  yet  seen  was  that 
of  a  former  patient  of  mine,  living  in  Albany. 
This  lady,  happening  to  read  in  the  American 
Magazine,  the  article  which  introduces  this  book, 
— and  not  knowing  that  I  was  the  dentist  referred 
to  in  the  story — wrote,  asking  my  opinion  of  the 
truth  of  the  article. 

I  replied  by  telling  her  that  the  article  had  been 
written  by  a  patient  of  mine,  and  that,  as  a  matter 
of  fact,  it  was  understated,  rather  than  overstated. 

The  lady  came  to  New  "York  the  following 
morning.  I  was  amazed  at  her  appearance.  She 
was  sallow,  pale,  and  presented  the  aspect  of 
being  completely  broken  down. 

She  suffered  from  chronic  rheumatism,  the  pain 
in  her  arms  and  limbs  being  almost  constant,  and, 
as  she  expressed  it,  she  "was  so  tired  she  hardly 
had  ambition  to  breathe." 

I  X-rayed  her  teeth,  and  found  some  badly 
filled  root1  canals.  I  told  her  that  she  was  being 
slowly  killed  by  these  poisoned  teeth,  and  advised 
having  them  extracted,  and  bridge  work  inserted. 

The  teeth  were  extracted  in  October.  I  did  not 
see  the  lady  again  until  Thanksgiving.  The 
change  in  her  was  nothing  short  of  marvellous; 

138 


Focal  Infections 

she  did  not  look  like  the  same  person.  For  she 
was  twenty  years  younger  in  appearance,  her  com- 
plexion was  fresh  and  ruddy,  she  had  had  no 
rheumatism  for  weeks,  and  she  felt  and  acted  like 
a  woman  in  the  pink  of  perfect  physical  condition 
— which  she  was. 

Only  a  Few  of  Hundreds.  I  have  had  literally 
hundreds  of  such  cases — proving,  beyond  the 
question  of  a  doubt,  that  many  of  the  gravest 
systemic  conditions,  having  apparently  not  the 
slightest  connection  with  the  teeth,  are  due  simply 
and  solely  to  infections  arising  from  dead  teeth — 
teeth  improperly  treated,  or  that  should  have 
been  extracted  years  before. 

Dr.  Billings' s  Great  Work.  Dr.  Billings,  of 
Chicago,  who  has  perhaps  devoted  as  much  at- 
tention to  the  study  of  focal  infections  and  their 
consequences  as  any  living  man,  has  collected  a 
tremendous  amount  of  evidence  on  this  subject. 

It  may  be  of  interest  here  to  give  a  few  of  the 
most  striking  of  these  cases: 

CASE  I.  Mr.  C.  P.,  aged  forty-nine  years,  seen 
April  3,  1914,  suffering  from  exophthalmic  goitre  for 
two  years  and  frequent  sore  throat,  shortness  of 
breath,  rapid  heart;  nervous,  emotional;  loss  in 

139 


Teeth  and  Health 

weight,  lessened  strength  and  endurance,  muscular 
trembling.  Many  carious  teeth,  with  alveolar  infec- 
tion shown  by  radiograph.  Enlarged  and  infected 
tonsils.  Tonsils  removed,  teeth  extracted,  rest  and 
nourishing  food.  Result,  May  12,  1914:  Discharged 
much  improved,  goitre  diminished  more  than  one 
half,  practically  no  symptoms  as  above  described. 

CASE  II.  Man,  aged  forty-nine  years.  Irregular 
neart  action,  accompanied  by  pain  and  distress  (an- 
gina), thumping  of  heart  at  night,  waking  him  out 
of  sound  sleep.  A  very  slight  pyorrhoea  was  noted, 
but  not  considered  of  any  importance.  After  three 
months,  general  treatment  giving  no  relief,  a  radio- 
graph of  the  jaw  was  taken,  and  three  pus  pockets 
were  found.  They  were  opened  and  drained.  The 
heart  symptoms  promptly  disappeared,  and  had  not 
returned  six  months  after  treatment. 

CASE  III.  (Reported  by  Dr.  Billings;  of  interest 
because  of  youth  of  subject.)  Miss  M.  K.,  aged 
twenty-four  years,  admitted  April  18,  1914.  Chronic 
inflammation  of  finger  joints,  frequent  tonsillitis,  goi- 
tre, fainting  spells,  headache,  and  nervousness.  Well 
nourished,  good  colour,  tonsils  enlarged  and  infected. 
X-ray  revealed  alveolar  infection  of  four  lower  teeth. 
Treatment :  Infected  teeth  extracted,  tonsils  removed, 
vaccine  prepared  from  the  organisms  found  in  teeth 
and  tonsils.  Discharged,  November  loth,  much 
improved.  January  i8th,  returned  to  work,  general 

140 


Focal  Infections 

condition  good,  joints  much   improved,  goitre  one 
half  size. 

CASE  IV.  (Reported  by  Dr.  Hartzell,  of  Minne- 
apolis.) Man  aged  twenty-four  years.  In  January, 
1913,  had  an  attack  of  sore  throat,  followed  by  pain 
and  swelling,  affecting  one  joint  after  another.  Was 
confined  to  hospital  nine  months.  No  response  to 
ordinary  treatment.  September  3Oth,  radiograph 
showed  abscess  at  roots  of  first  and  second  molars. 
These  teeth  were  extracted,  vaccines  made  from  the 
organisms  found.  January  I3th,  patient  discharged 
from  hospital,  able  to  walk  and  free  from  pain,  except 
on  severe  exertion. 

Dr.  Fisk's  Suggestions.  Dr.  Eugene  Lyman 
Fisk,  in  connection  with  these  reports,  says: 

The  lesson  from  these  facts  is  obvious  and  the  lines 
of  prevention  are  well  defined. 

1.  Beginning  in  infancy,  a  thorough  physical  ex» 
animation  and  survey  at  regular  intervals,  in  order 
to  detect  any  possible  focus  of  infection  or  any  physi- 
cal impairment  that  may  lead  to  the  formation  of 
such  a  focus. 

2.  The  practice  of  personal  hygiene  all  along  the 
line,  in  order  that  the  general  resistance  to  infection 
may  be  raised  to  the  highest  power. 

3.  Proper  diet  in  infancy,  which  means,  wherever 
possible,  mother's  milk,  in  order  that  there  may  be 
a  regular  and  healthy  development  of  teeth  and  jaws. 

141 


Teeth  and  Health 

As  the  child  grows  older,  the  cultivation  of  normal 
eating  habits,  especially  vigorous  use  of  the  jaws  by 
thorough  mastication,  and  the  eating  of  hard,  resist- 
ant, crusty  foods  every  day. 

4.  The  use  of  fruit  in  the  diet  between  meals, 
especially  apples,  which  mechanically  cleans  the  teeth, 
and  which  by  the  action  of  fruit  acids  remove  the 
mucin  plaques  that  favour  decay. 

5.  A  thorough  mechanical  cleansing  of  the  teeth 
with  clean  water  and  stiff  brush,  used  with  a  rotary 
motion,  not  forgetting  the  tongue. 

6.  Thorough  dental  cleansing  of  the  teeth  at  least 
every  six  months. 

These  are  sound  suggestions.  They  are  in  line 
with  the  strictest  observations  of  science,  and  the 
most  obvious  applications  of  common  sense. 

Should  Infected  Teeth  be  Extracted  or  Treated? 
There  is  a  wide  range  of  opinion  concerning  the 
possibility  of  successfully  treating  apical  abscesses 
• — the  infected  foci  at  the  apex  of  the  roots.  Many 
men  take  the  conservative  stand  to  the  effect 
that  most  of  these  teeth  can  be  saved  by  antiseptic 
treatment  of  the  infected  structures. 

Some  even  go  so  far  as  to  drill  through  the 
gums  and  the  bone,  amputate  the  point  of  the 
root,  and  try  to  clear  up  the  condition  by  antiseptic 
methods. 

142 


Focal  Infections     . 

Sometimes  they  succeed.  For  a  time,  anyhow, 
the  area  seems  to  be  normal.  The  structures  ap- 
pear healthy,  and  the  tooth  gives  good  service. 

What  the  Radicals  Say.  The  radicals,  on  the 
other  hand,  hold  that  any  attempt  to  retain  teeth 
which  are  known  to  be  diseased,  is  playing  with 
fire.  Dr.  Grieves,  recognized  as  one  of  the  greatest 
authorities  on  this  subject,  says  emphatically: 

"  There  is  to  my  knowledge  no  medicament,  no 
method — germicidal,  oxidizing,  or  electrolitic — 
that  will  revivify  the  pericemental  apex  (the 
covering  of  the  point  of  the  root).  If  it  be  vital, 
the  tooth  is  healthy;  if  it  be  diseased,  the  tooth 
is  next  to  doomed.  This  is  the  point  in  treatment 
where  materia  medica  stops  and  tooth  surgery 
begins." 

Dr.  K.  H.  Thoma,  of  the  Harvard  Dental 
School,  has  tried  practically  every  variety  of  anti- 
septic that  could  safely  be  used  in  the  gum  tissues, 
and  has  found  that  not  one  of  these  has  the  power 
to  destroy  completely  the  bacterial  life  in  the  pus 
sacs  at  the  roots  of  infected  teeth. 

Dr.  Henry  A.  Cotton,  in  discussing  this  con- 
clusion of  Dr.  Thoma's,  states  emphatically  that 
"the  sooner  this  fact  is  recognized  by  the  dental 

H3 


Teeth  and  Health 

profession,  the  better  it  will  be  for  the  patient,  and 
for  the  physician  who  later  on  sees  the  patient 
with  some  incurable  malady. 

The  Conservative  Middle  Ground.  As  for  my- 
self, again  I  take  a  conservative  middle  course. 
Never  will  I  sacrifice  a  tooth  if  there  seems  to  be 
any  reasonable  possibility  of  saving  it  to  a  life  of 
usefulness.  If  the  involvement  is  not  such  as  to 
cause  immediate  apprehension,  and  if  there  are 
no  pronounced  physical  symptoms  which  would 
indicate  the  necessity  for  radical  attention,  I  pre- 
fer to  open  up  the  abscess  thoroughly,  through  the 
root  of  the  tooth,  and  apply  forma-cresol,  or  other 
powerful  antiseptic,  in  the  attempt  completely  to 
destroy  the  nidus  of  infection — all  the  while  keep- 
ing the  condition  under  close  observation. 

In  hundreds  and  hundreds  of  instances  I  have 
secured  absolutely  satisfactory  results — subse- 
quently packing  and  filling  the  root  canal,  and 
restoring  the  integrity  of  the  tooth  with  an  inlay, 
a  filling,  or  whatever  form  of  reconstruction  might 
be  necessary. 

In  this  respect  my  experience  does  not  coincide 
with  that  of  Dr.  Thoma  and  Dr.  Grieves,  as  many 
of  these  conservatively  treated  roots  have  re- 

144 


Focal  Infections 

mained  perfectly  healthy  and  normal  over  a  period 
of  many  years. 

When  the  Involvement  is  too  Great  there  is 
only  One  Course  to  Pursue.  When,  however,  the 
area  of  involvement  is  too  great,  and  when,  in  my 
opinion,  the  infection  from  this  area  is  a  source  of 
menace  to  the  health  of  the  patient ;  or  when  there 
is  already  an  appreciable  amount  of  systemic  dis- 
order, I  emphatically  advise  the  extraction  of  the 
root,  and  a  thorough  curettement  and  extirpation 
of  any  diseased  bone  or  peridental  membrane. 

For  where,  the  teeth  are  badly  diseased,  the 
roots  eroded  or  frequently  absorbed,  or  where  the 
tips  of  the  roots  are  necrotic  (dead),  there  is,  in 
my  judgment,  no  other  course  that  is  safe — or 
even  justifiable. 

The  Cautery  Point  as  a  Diagnostic  Factor.  Also, 
I  have  found  that,  in  addition  to  the  X-ray,  the 
use  of  the  electric  cautery  point,  as  advocated 
by  Dr.  William  FitzGerald,  has  been  of  valuable 
service.  Frequently,  even  when  the  X-ray  shows 
but  the  slightest  traces  of  shadow,  the  application 
of  the  cautery  point  to  the  necks  of  the  teeth  will 
elicit  intense  pain. 

Whenever  this  occurs  it  is  a  certain  indication 
H5 


Teeth  and  Health 

of  the  presence  of  serious  trouble.  For  with  sound, 
vital  teeth,  there  is  absolutely  no  sensation  on 
circling  the  necks  of  the  teeth  with  the  cautery. 

This  is  an  aid  to  accurate  diagnosis  which,  in 
my  judgment,  is  almost  invaluable  to  the  dentist, 
as  it  is  possible,  by  this  means,  to  confirm  a  diag- 
nosis that  even  by  the  most  adept  X-ray  reading, 
might  be  otherwise  obscure. 

While  the  Results  of  Focal  Infection  are  Ad- 
mitted, perhaps  the  Real  Cause  isn't  what  we 
Think  it  is.  I  cannot  leave  this  subject  of  focal 
infections  and  their  relation  to  various  constitu- 
tional disorders  without  a  reference  to  the  exhaust- 
ive and  scholarly  conclusions  of  my  friend,  Pro- 
fessor William  H.  Porter,  on  these  matters. 

Dr.  Porter,  who  is  recognized  as  one  of  the 
greatest  living  authorities  on  pathology  and  clini- 
cal medicine,  holds  opinions  on  this  subject  which 
seem  to  me  to  shed  new  light  on  the  causative 
relations  of  these  conditions. 

A  more  Definite  Understanding  Needed.  These 
conclusions  define  more  accurately,  to  my  mind,  the 
nature  of  the  process — particularly  with  reference 
to  the  generally  accepted  claims  that  focal  infec- 
tions are  primarily  responsible — or  even  seconda- 

146 


Focal  Infections 

lily  responsible  through  the  development  of  new 
foci  of  infection — for  nephritis,  diabetes,  and  other 
organic  deviations. 

Dr.  Porter  takes  the  broad  position  that  any 
individual,  to  be  constitutionally  affected  by  any 
pyogenic  or  septic  process,  must  first  have  de- 
veloped a  susceptibility  to  infection,  through  a 
lowered  state  of  resistance. 

The  virility  and  the  number  of  his  defensive 
phagocytes  must  first  be  reduced.  And  even  then 
the  introduction  of  pyogenic  bacteria  from  an 
infected  gum-structure  or  a  diseased  tooth  does 
not  suffice  to  produce  bacterial  suppuration. 

A  Normal  Individual  may  be  Relatively  Im- 
mune. If,  for  example,  bacteria  find  their  way 
into  the  blood  stream  of  an  individual  with  normal 
bacteriacidal  resistance,  no  infection  results,  be- 
cause the  bacteria  are  destroyed  by  the  defensive 
agents  within  the  circulating  blood. 

In  order  to  develop  suppuration  and  degeneration 
of  the  tissues  the  bacteria  must  be  able  to  locate 
and  propagate  in  some  given  structure.  If  infec- 
tion occurs  in  this  way,  its  development  depends 
upon  two  conditions — the  virulence  of  the  germ, 
and  the  chemic  state  of  the  tissues. 

H7 


Teeth  and  Health 

In  some  individuals  the  vital  resistance  of  the 
tissues  may  be  so  reduced — by  local  injury,  or  by 
some  nutritional  defect — as  to  furnish  favourable 
chemic  or  physic  soil  upon  which  bacteria  may 
grow,  thereby  rendering  the  course  of  the  suppura- 
tive  process  especially  unfavourable  and  dangerous. 

If  the  bacteria  which  gain  admission  to  the 
blood  stream  fail  to  find  a  favourable  nutrient 
medium,  they  cannot  multiply  and  exert  their 
pathogenic  action.  In  other  words,  there  will  be 
no  reaction  to  their  presence. 

Classifying  the  Members  of  the  Germ  Family. 
Again,  every  group  of  micro-organisms  may  have 
innumerable  family  divisions,  so  to  speak.  Some 
of  these  groups  are  highly  virulent,  some  mildly 
so,  and  some  apparently  almost  inert. 

If  the  inert  family  were  put  into  a  highly  resist- 
ing and  thoroughly  nourished  individual,  there 
probably  would  be  no  deleterious  results.  Where- 
as, if  the  highly  virulent  type  were  introduced  into 
a  person  of  low  vital  resistance,  an  intense  infec- 
tion would  likely  be  produced.  Also,  it  is  a  well- 
known  fact  that  different  tissues  have  different 
degrees  of  resistance. 

As  a  result  of  all  these  different  factors,  we  get 
148 


Focal  Infections 

almost  innumerable  varieties  of  clinical  pictures — 
so  much  so  that  it  is  often  difficult  properly  to 
class  the  condition. 

Focal  Infections  Cause  Nutritional  Disturb- 
ances, and  these  Cause  Degenerative  Changes. 
This  brings  us  to  the  crux  of  Professor  Porter's 
argument.  For,  while  the  ultimate  effect  of  the 
germ  action  may  be  the  development  of  Bright's 
disease,  or  diabetes,  or  arthritis,  or  degenerative 
changes  in  the  blood  vessels,  these  results  must 
necessarily  follow — first,  a  lowered  resisting  state 
of  the  organism;  and  next,  in  the  case  of  kidney, 
pancreatic  or  blood-vessel  degeneration,  a  disor- 
dered state  of  nutrition. 

This,  according  to  Professor  Porter,  is  due  chiefly 
to  taking  into  the  system  an  excessive  amount  of 
proteid  substance — more  than  the  system  can 
utilize.  If  more  protein  is  absorbed  than  the  sys- 
tem has  use  for,  the  blood  becomes  surcharged 
with  proteids.  This  means  that  the  epithelial 
cells  of  the  kidneys  must  take  up  these  substances 
from  the  blood  stream,  and  eliminate  them  in  some 
isomeric  or  transitional  form,  or  else  that  they 
must  be  oxidized  into  some  form  in  which  they 
can  safely  be  eliminated  from  the  system. 

149 


Teeth  and  Health 

If  the  oxygenating  capacity  of  the  system  be 
exceeded,  toxic  matter  will  be  developed  from 
these  proteids,  which  will  have  a  profoundly  irri- 
tating effect  upon  the  kidney  cells,  and  ultimately 
cause  degeneration  of  the  kidney  structures — if 
the  causative  factor,  excess  of  proteid  in  the  diet, 
is  not  corrected. 

Intestinal  Putrefaction  from  Focal  Infection. 
The  second  most  frequent  cause  for  degenerative 
changes  in  the  kidney  cells  and  other  structures 
results  from  putrefactive  fermentation  so  frequent- 
ly met  with  in  the  alimentary  canal.  This  fer- 
mentation of  the  food  stuffs  causes  the  formation 
of  toxic  substances  in  the  intestine.  The  absorp- 
tion of  these  into  the  system,  and  the  attempt  to 
eliminate  them  through  the  kidney  cells,  produces 
irritation,  which  if  continued  over  a  sufficient 
period  of  time,  tends  to  produce  degenerative 
changes  in  the  renal  cells. 

How  the  Micro-organisms  Act.  The  third 
cause  of  degeneration  of  the  kidney  structures 
results  from  the  presence  of  micro-organisms,  act- 
ing either  directly  or  indirectly.  Directly,  as 
Prof.  Porter  clearly  states,  "when  they  are  acting 
within  the  system  upon  the  proteid  structures, 

150 


Focal  Infections 

which  go  to  make  up  the  integral  parts  of  the 
body;  indirectly  when  they  are  acting  upon  the 
proteid  elements  contained  in  the  food  products, 
while  in  the  alimentary  canal." 
Dr.  Porter  concludes  that: 

In  either  instance  the  micro-organisms  may  pro- 
duce toxic  products,  oxydation  reduction  products,  or 
isomeric  proteid  elements.  In  the  one  instance  they 
are  produced  within  the  system,  in  the  other  within 
the  alimentary  canal,  to  be  absorbed  therefrom  in 
the  circulation. 

In  either  case  the  nutrition  in  general  is  impaired, 
and  the  kidneys  are  called  upon  to  perform  an  ex- 
cessive amount  and  an  abnormal  kind  of  work — hence 
their  degeneration.  It  is  further  highly  probable,  if 
not  absolutely  proved  in  all  instances,  that  different 
kinds  of  bacteria  produce  different  kinds  of  toxic 
substances,  either  of  the  oxydation  reduction  type,  or 
of  the  isomeric  proteid  form. 

From  all  the  evidence  at  our  command,  it  is  prob- 
able that,  in  the  vast  majority  of  cases  the  bacterial 
action,  when  it  acts  as  an  exciting  factor  in  producing 
renal  lesions  (kidney  disease),  is  brought  about  in 
the  alimentary  canal,  and  not  within  the  system.  It 
is  the  bacteria  acting  upon  the  proteid  elements  of 
the  food  stuffs  in  the  alimentary  canal  that  excites 
putrefactive  changes,  and  thus  indirectly,  and  not 
directly,  the  bacteria  act  as  causative  factors. 

Insisting,  as  many  of  our  focal  infection  enthusi- 


Teeth  and  Health 

asts  do,  that  bacteria  are  in  all  cases  the  direct  and 
only  setiological  factor  in  producing  organic  lesions, 
seems  like  carrying  the  bacterial  side  a  little  too  far. 

Fundamentally  a  Disturbance  in  Nutrition.    So, 

while  it  is  undeniable  that  absorption  of  toxic 
products  from  focal  infection  may  produce  degen- 
erative changes  in  certain  organs  and  structures 
of  the  body,  it  would  seem  quite  clear  that  they 
do  not  produce  these  changes  of  themselves,  by 
direct  action  on  these  organs  or  structures — as  is 
claimed  by  most  of  the  advocates  of  the  modern 
theory  of  focal  infection — but  rather  by  reason  of 
the  effect  they  have  upon  digestion  and  nutrition 
—and  particularly  upon  the  transformation  of  the 
proteid  constituents  of  our  food. 

It  isn't  the  Germ— It's  what  the  Germ  Does. 
Therefore,  while  the  absorption  of  pus  germs  from 
infected  mouth  conditions  may  cause  septicaemia 
or  pyaemia,  they  do  not  generally,  of  themselves, 
cause  Blight's  disease,  or  other  disorganizing 
changes  in  the  organic  structures. 

And  while  any  or  all  of  these  conditions  ascribed 
to  focal  infection  causes  may  and  do  result  from 
focal  abscesses,  they  occur  because  of  the  disturb- 
ances in  nutrition,  and  because  of  the  toxic  sub- 

152 


Focal  Infections 

stances  developed  as  a  result  of  these  metabolic 
disorders. 

Merely  in  the  Interests  of  Accuracy.  This  may 
seem  rather  a  fine  line  of  distinction,  but  to  my 
mind  it  is  a  most  important  one,  as  it  shows  that, 
reasoning  in  the  most  accurate  way,  on  broad 
lines  of  pathology,  that  the  conditions  produced 
by  focal  infection  are  even  more  far-reaching  than 
are  at  present  generally  believed.  It  shows  also  that 
the  problem  concerns  the  physician  equally  with  the 
dentist ;  and  that  both  physician  and  dentist  should 
work  hand  in  hand  in  the  effort  to  overcome  the 
grave  results  of  these  degenerative  conditions. 

It  is  not  only  a  matter  of  removing  sources  of 
infection,  but  also  of  correcting  abnormalities  in 
the  diet  and  recommending  general  hygienic  pre- 
cautions to  be  followed  out  by  the  individual. 

In  any  event,  if  everybody  in  the  world  could 
realize  the  importance  of  this  big  question  of  focal 
infection,  and  take  steps  to  correct  the  evil,  one 
of  the  principal  of  all  the  causes  of  misery,  suffer- 
ing, and  early  death,  would  be  avoided.  And, 
thanks  to  the  efforts  of  dentists,  medical  men,  and 
scientific  investigators,  this  now  seems  likely  to 
be  brought  about. 

153 


CHAPTER  XI 

TEETH  AND  HEALTH 

THERE  is  no  question  in  my  mind  but  that  the 
most  prominent  of  all  focal  infection  causes 
arises  from  toxic  tooth  and  mouth  conditions. 
And  also  that  the  ramifications  of  these  infections 
are  as  widespread  as  is  the  circulation  itself. 

We  know,  also,  that  on  the  twenty  to  thirty 
inches  of  our  tooth  surface,  and  in  and  between 
the  teeth,  as  well  as  in  the  crypts  and  pockets 
about  the  tooth  roots,  germs  are  found  by  the 
millions — even  in  apparently  healthy  mouths. 

How  Dental  Decay  Starts.  We  know  that  in 
caries,  or  dental  decay,  placques  or  films  of  saliva 
form  on  the  tooth  surfaces,  in  combination  with 
particles  of  carbohydrates.  These  placques  are 
little  igloos,  sheltering  myriads  of  bacteria,  which 
develop  acids  that  attack  and  break  down  the 
alkaline  structure  of  the  teeth.  The  sugary  par- 
ticles of  the  carbohydrates  adhering  to  the  teeth 

154 


Teeth  and  Health 

also  undergo  fermentation.  They  develop  lactic 
acid,  which  still  further  assists  in  dissolving  out 
the  lime  salts  of  the  teeth — leaving  only  the 
organic  matter. 

This  is  promptly  attacked  by  pathogenic  germs, 
and  develops  putrefactive  decay.  Tooth  cavities 
form.  These  provide  shelter,  breeding  places, 
and  tooth-substance  food  for  ever-increasing  mil- 
lions of  bacteria — and  these  bacteria,  entering  the 
blood  stream  through  the  root  canals  and  gum 
structures,  infect  the  general  system. 

I  cannot  too  strongly  drive  this  lesson  home, 
so  that  the  real  significance  of  the  process  will 
be  appreciated. 

Maybe  you  Have  One  of  These  Conditions. 
Innumerable  cases  can  be  cited  to  further  illus- 
trate these  facts.  For  instance,  one  of  the  most 
prominent  of  the  younger  motion  picture  actresses 
consulted  me  only  a  short  time  ago  to  see  if  there 
was  any  dental  cause  for  a  condition  that  had 
been  growing  progressively  worse  with  her  for 
many  months. 

Her  trouble  seemed  to  be  a  condition  of  over- 
powering lassitude — a  feeling  of  exhaustion — after 
doing  her  work  at  the  studio.  When  opportunity 

155 


Teeth  and  Health 

presented  she  would  sleep  mornings,  sometimes 
as  late  as  twelve  o'clock.  But  inevitably  she 
would  awake,  as  she  expressed  it,  "just  as  tired 
as  when  she  went  to  bed." 

An  X-ray  examination  showed  two  infected 
teeth  in  the  lower  jaw.  These  were  "cleaned  up," 
and  put  in  a  perfectly  healthy  condition. 

How  Bad  Teeth  May  Make  you  Tired.  The 
improvement  in  this  young  woman's  case  was 
perfectly  wonderful.  She  slept  soundly.  Her 
nightmarish  dreams  became  a  thing  of  the  past. 
She  awoke  rested  and  refreshed  in  the  morning. 
In  fact,  she  improved  so  that,  as  she  herself 
expressed  it,  she  "felt  like  springing  and  jumping, 
instead  of  walking." 

I  cannot  too  strongly  urge  every  man  and 
woman  who  reads  jthese  pages,  and  who  feels  tired 
and  debilitated ;  or  who  lacks  '  *  punch ' '  and  energy ; 
whose  appetite  is  fickle,  and  whose  sleep  fails  to 
refresh  them;  to  have  their  teeth  carefully  ex- 
amined— by  an  X-ray  if  possible. 

Don't  Neglect  Tooth-decay.  If  there  are  found 
any  imperfectly  filled  root  canals,  any  points  of 
focal  infection  around  the  gum  margins,  or  in 
fact  any  pathological  processes  anywhere  in  the 

156 


Teeth  and  Health 

mouth,  the  nose,  or  the  throat,  go  to  your  dentist, 
or  your  surgeon,  and  have  him  correct  these 
without  delay. 

How  Tooth  Care  May  Lengthen  your  Life 
Many  Years.  It  may  make  a  difference  of  many 
years  of  life  if  you  will  see  to  it  that  the  cavities 
of  your  head  are  kept  in  a  thoroughly  healthy 
state.  Of  course,  there  are  no  actual,  hard-and- 
fast  statistics  on  this  subject,  nevertheless,  impos- 
ing and  eloquent  tables  of  figures  compiled  by  the 
Life  Extension  Institute,  and  by  various  of  the 
insurance  companies,  prove  incontestably  that 
there  is  a  measurable  increase  in  the  average  of 
life  of  individuals  who  are  physically  fortunate — 
or  who  are  sufficiently  intelligent  or  affluent  to 
have  all  their  sources  of  dental  infection  cleaned 
up. 

Most  people,  accustomed  to  taking  these  evils 
for  granted — because  of  the  years  of  familiarity 
that  have  bred  in  them  contempt  and  indifference 
—cannot  realize  that  to  have  this  work  carefully 
done,  and  thoroughly  to  get  rid  of  the  festering 
spots  of  decay  and  putrefaction  in  the  teeth  and 
gums,  as  well  as  in  every  other  germ-harbouring 
structure  of  the  body,  will  set  back  the  Clock  of 

157 


Teeth  and  Health 

Time  for  them,  and  keep  the  gnarled  veteran  with 
the  long  scythe  cooling  his  heels  outside  their 
Door  of  Life  for  many  enjoyable  and  profitable 
years  to  come. 

The  Dentist  as  a  Beauty  Specialist.  Also,  as  a 
cosmetic,  there  is  nothing  in  the  world  to  equal  a 
clean,  wholesome  mouth — both  for  what  it  does, 
and  for  how  it  looks  while  it's  doing  it. 

I  remember  one  case  of  a  young  girl  of  eighteen 
or  twenty,  whose  face  was  chronically  broken  out 
with  disfiguring  blotches  and  pimply  eruptions. 
This  girl  had  taken  all  manner  of  tonics  and  blood 
purifiers  without  any  permanent  benefit. 

I  found,  on  examining  her  mouth,  that  she  had 
a  spongy  growth  of  gum  tissue,  from  which  pus 
could  be  squeezed  in  alarming  amounts. 

Cleaning  out  a  Pus  Factory.  A  simple  course 
of  prophylactic  treatments  with  iodine  and  eme- 
tine, applied  by  my  dental  nurse,  supplemented 
by  home  treatment  consisting  of  morning  and 
evening  mouth  rinsings  with  a  one  half  of  one 
per  cent,  solution  of  chlorazene  (Dakin's  solution) 
cleared  up  this  condition  within  two  months. 

And  with  the  disappearance  of  the  pus  the  skin 
and  the  general  complexion  improved,  so  that 

158 


Teeth  and  Health 

today  this  girl  has  skin  as  translucent  and  perfect 
as  any  human  being  could  wish  for. 

Better  than  Any  Beauty  Lotion.  So  there  is 
not  a  particle  of  use  for  a  woman  to  use  salves, 
lotions,  face  washes,  and  blood  purifiers  to  rid 
the  system  of  something  that  is  being  manufac- 
tured around  the  roots  of  her  teeth,  or  in  her  nose 
or  tonsils,  every  hour  of  the  twenty -four. 

There  is  only  one  way  to  cure  the  condition ;  and 
that  is  to  find  the  cause  and  remove  it. 

Boils  and  Carbuncles  Relieved  by  Dentistry. 
I  have  had  patients  who  suffered  repeatedly  from 
attacks  of  boils  or  carbuncles,  but  who  were 
completely  relieved  of  these  recurrent  conditions 
just  as  soon  as  the  teeth  were  put  in  order. 

How  the  General  Health  Depends  on  the  Teeth. 
Kathleen  Hills,  writing  for  Leslie's  Weekly  on 
"How  death  lurks  in  the  mouth,"  says  about  the 
cause : 

- 

The  human  body  is  like  any  other  delicate  mechan- 
ism. It  is  a  composite  of  separate  units,  all  of  which 
must  be  in  good  condition  and  perform  their  separate 
functions  perfectly  if  one's  health  and  mentality  are 
to  be  the  best.  A  watch  will  not  keep  correct  time  if 
the  tiny  hair-spring  is  bent;  a  compass  will  not  be 
true  if  the  needle  becomes  demagnetized,  and  one 

159 


Teeth  and  Health 

cannot  be  well  if  all  the  organs  are  not  functioning 
harmoniously.  It  is  an  unrefuted  fact  that  the  gen- 
eral health  depends  largely  upon  the  condition  of  the 
teeth  and  oral  cavity.  Almost  any  systemic  disorder, 
such  as  stomach  and  intestinal  trouble,  anaemia,  and 
other  blood  disorders,  diseases  of  the  joints,  heart 
and  nerve  affections,  neuritis  and  neuralgia  can  arise 
from  their  neglect. 

What  the  Famous  Dr.  Mayo  Says  about  Tooth 

Decay.  And  Dr.  C.  H.  Mayo,  one  of  the  two 
most  famous  surgeons  in  the  world,  says: 

Diseases  of  middle  life  are  increasing.  They  are 
microbic,  of  a  chronic,  recurring  character,  and  are 
carried  into  the  blood  stream  from  a  few  foci,  the 
mouth  being  the  source  of  the  greatest  danger.  A 
crowned  tooth  is  not  a  crown  of  glory,  and  may  cover 
a  multitude  of  germs.  Modern  dentistry  is  relieving 
the  world  of  much  of  its  misery  by  watchful  care  of 
foci  connected  with  the  teeth,  and  the  trend  of  modern 
medicine  and  dentistry  is  bringing  their  fields  again 
closely  together.  Dentistry  should  be  a  department 
of  medicine,  as  it  is  as  closely  associated  with  medicine 
as  are  the  specialties  of  the  eye,  ear,  nose,  and  throat, 
etc. 

A  Letter  from  Dr.  Fisk.  In  a  personal  letter, 
Dr.  Eugene  Lyman  Fisk  says: 

The  feeling  of  our  entire  staff  is  that  mouth  infection 
should  be  rigidly  searched  for  and  uncompromisingly 

160 


Teeth  and  Health 

dealt  with.  There  are,  of  course,  many  instances 
where  the  removal  of  mouth  infection  does  not  have 
any  appreciable  influence  on  systemic  conditions,  yet 
we  regard  mouth  infection  as  always  a  handicap, 
even  for  example,  when  the  underlying  condition  is 
syphilis.  The  specific  treatment  for  syphilis  may  not 
avail  unless  mouth  infection  has  been  eliminated. 
The  same  opinion  holds  good  as  regards  any  other 
condition  and  emphasizes  the  importance  of  giving 
attention  to  every  region  of  the  body  and  to  other 
phases  of  hygiene  in  endeavouring  to  bring  the  indi- 
vidual to  the  highest  plane  of  physical  health  and 
efficiency. 

Crowded  Teeth  and  Twisted  Brains.    As  we 

have  seen  in  a  previous  chapter,  mouth-breathing, 
adenoids,  and  catarrh  are  a  frequent  result  of  the 
premature  extractions  and  malocclusions  brought 
about  by  neglect  properly  to  care  for  and  preserve 
the  teeth.  In  the  contraction  of  the  dental 
arches,  following  the  early  and  unnecessary  loss 
of  the  sixth  year  molars — the  "pillars  of  the  den- 
tal arch" — the  lymphatic  circulation  of  the  brain 
may  be  obstructed,  which,  in  turn,  may  inhibit 
the  proper  supply  of  nutritive  material  to  the 
brain. 

Children,  or  even  adults  so  affected,  inevitably 
become  dullards  in  their  school  or  business  life, 

161 


Teeth  and  Health 

sometimes  utterly  lacking  the  power  of  attention  • 
and  concentration.  Many  become  incorrigible  and  / 
delinquent,  finally  " winding  up"  in  the  ref orm ( 
school  or  the  penitentiary.  I 

Conservative  medical  authorities  are  now  con-  | 
tending  that  more  than  one  third  of  all  the  idiots  \ 
and  insane  are  mentally  maimed  because  of  con-  \ 
tracted,  deformed  dental  arches ;  by  adenoids,  and ( 
by  the  brain  impoverishment  that  oral  infections 
first  bring  about. 

What  Neglect  Does.  Dental  neglect  is  usually 
begun  in  childhood,  and  continued  consistently 
through  life.  The  extent  of  the  neglect  can  be 
better  understood  when  it  is  remembered  that,  in 
a  representative  Cleveland  school,  out  of  846 
children  examined,  but  3  were  free  from  diseased 
teeth ;  while  in  Chicago,  of  90,000  school  children 
examined,  95  per  cent,  needed  dental  treatment. 

The  condition  grows  worse  with  the  years  of 
the  natural  stress  of  tooth  wear.  But  it  is  aggra- 
vated by  the  continued  neglect  to  use  prophylac- 
tic precautions,  which  neglect  finally  culminates 
in  the  development  of  caries,  pyorrhoea,  necrosis, 
or  alveolar  abscesses. 

It  must  also  be  borne  in  mind  that  inefficient 
162 


Teeth  and  Health 

dental  work — showing  in  ill-fitting  crowns,  im- 
properly filled  root  canals,  and  slovenly  dentistry 
in  general — is  infinitely  worse  than  would  be  the 
radical  removal  of  the  teeth  themselves. 

Any  of  our  52  Teeth  Liable  to  Start  Trouble. 
And  this  applies  to  all  the  fifty-two  teeth  that 
comprise  the  temporary  and  the  permanent  sets 
of  teeth,  during  the  entire  time  they  may  be  in 
the  mouth,  from  the  earliest  period  of  embryonic 
life,  until  they  are  lost  at  even  the  most  advanced 
age. 

For,  if  the  tooth  is  lost,  its  potentiality  for  mis- 
chief is  at  an  end.  While,  with  indifferent  dental 
work,  the  nidus  of  infection  may  start,  and  drain 
its  toxins  and  virulent  micro-organisms  into  the 
system  for  years,  without  its  presence  even  being 
suspected. 

The  Little  Pus  Sac  that  Killed  Roosevelt  Take 
the  case  of  the  late  Col.  Roosevelt  as  an  example. 
A  splendid  up-standing  American,  in  apparently 
the  very  pink  of  physical  condition.  And  yet  he 
was  attacked  by  rheumatic  fever,  following  the 
death  of  a  tooth  pulp  or  nerve,  which  became 
abscessed  more  than  twenty  years  before. 

The  acute  attack  of  the  disease  which  originated 
163 


Teeth  and  Health 

in  the  root  of  a  tooth  finally  found  complete 
expression  in  a  pulmonary  embolism.  And  that 
was  the  end  of  a  great  statesman — who  died  at 
least  ten  years  too  soon. 

The  Life  Extension  Institute,  working  in  con- 
junction with  the  great  life  insurance  organiza- 
tions, has  found  this  condition  of  focal  infection  to 
be  so  general  that  the  middle-aged  man  or  woman 
who  has  not  one  or  more  foci  of  infection  in  the 
oral  cavity  is  the  rare  exception  rather  than  the 
exemplary  rule. 

There  is  but  one  solution  to  the  problem — 
prevention.  H  <y&»A»£s 

A  Clean  Tooth  never  Decays,,  'if  the  teeth  and 
the  inter-dental  spaces  are  kept  absolutely  clean 
irj*  and  free  from  all  particles  of  decomposing  fer- 
JJtyr  men  ting  food,  the  development  of  mouth  acids, 
f  ^  and  of  the  organisms  that  prey  upon  the  enamel 
of  the  teeth  will  be  prevented.  I  have  found  the 
'rophylactic  Toothbrush  best  adapted  for  this 
purpose. 

If  tooth-decay  is  prevented,  there  will  be  no 
foci  of  infection — there  will  be  no  hordes  of  germs 
constantly  swept  into  the  lymphatics  and  the 
blood  stream.  There  will  be  no  destruction  of 

164 


Teeth  and  Health 

millions  of  defensive  phagocytes,  pitted  in  a  never- 
ending  battle  with  constantly  encroaching  enemies. 

The  individual  will  keep  his  teeth,  will  preserve 
his  health,  and  will  lengthen  his  life — by  pro- 
phylaxis. 

Just  as  eternal  vigilance  is  the  price  of  liberty, 
so  eternal  diligence  is  the  price  of  tooth  and  body 
health.  And  this  diligence  must  be  expressed  in 
CLEANSING  EVERY  PART  OF  EVERY  TOOTH,  EVERY  DAY. 

Remember  that  "A  CLEAN  TOOTH  NEVER  DECAYS," 
but  an  unclean  tooth  may  cost  you  your  life. 


165 


CHAPTER  XII 

EPILEPSY  MAY  BE  CAUSED  BY  TOOTH-DECAY 

IT  is  quite  likely  that  certain  cases  of  epilepsy 
may  have  their  origin  in  some  tooth  condition, 
brought  about  by  neglect  properly  to  care  for  and 
correct  what  may  have  seemed  to  be  only  minor 
pathological  tooth  or  gum  conditions. 

At  least  one  such  case  has  been  reported  to  me 
by  Frederick  K.  Ream,  M.D.,  D.D.S.  This 
patient  suffered  from  headaches  for  fourteen  years 
— headaches  which  greatly  increased  in  severity, 
especially  during  the  last  five  or  six  years.  These 
attacks  would  be  followed  by  typical  epileptiform 
convulsions,  lasting  about  a  half  hour,  which 
would  be  repeated  four  or  five  times  a  day. 

A  Grave  Nervous  Disorder.  This  patient  would 
feel  attacks  doming  on  while  on  the  street,  and 
would  grasp  at  any  one  for  support.  At  other  times 
when  he  felt  the  same  sensation  he  would  leave 
his  place  of  business,  and  often  before  he  was  able 

166 


Epilepsy  Caused  by  Tooth-Decay 

to  get  home,  he  would  be  seized  with  a  convulsion. 
He  has  been  known  to  ride  back  and  forth  for 
hours — unable  to  leave  the  car  with  safety  to 
himself. 

Prior  to  coming  under  Dr.  Ream's  care  the 
patient  visited  the  neurological  hospital,  where 
he  was  kept  under  observation  for  a  week.  While 
no  diagnosis  was  made,  he  was  treated  for  stomach 
trouble.  Complete  X-ray  examinations — gastro- 
intestinal, kidney,  bladder,  etc. — were  negative. 
All  blood  tests  were  also  negative. 

A  Typical  Case  of  Epilepsy.  The  patient,  dur- 
ing convulsive  seizures,  would  exhibit  a  tremen- 
dous increase  in  physical  strength — followed  by 
periods  of  extreme  weakness  and  depression.  The 
diagnosis  of  epilepsy  was  made  by  Drs.  Dillon, 
Bull  winkle,  Weisbrode,  Lamadrid,  and  Upham,  of 
Brooklyn ;  Drs.  Loumis,  Goldberg,  and  Powers  of 
New  York;  the  Neurological  Institute  of  New 
York ;  and  another  dozen  or  more  physicians,  scat- 
tered all  the  way  from  Philadelphia  to  Florida. 

This  patient  received  bromides,  and  the  routine 
treatment  for  epilepsy' — without  benefit.  He  de- 
clined steadily  in  health,  losing  about  twenty 
pounds  or  more  in  weight. 

167 


Teeth  and  Health 

Every  Epileptic  Should  Have  an  X-ray  Exami- 
nation. Finally  an  X-ray  examination,  advised 
by  the  physicians  of  the  Neurological  Hospital, 
showed  two  superior  molars  and  the  lower  first 
molar  on  the  left  side  with  definite  focal  infection, 
associated  with  pyorrhoea.  The  teeth  were  pulp- 
less,  and  the  canals  putrescent.  The  remaining 
teeth  were  pyorrhceic,  but  vital. 

The  three  teeth  mentioned  were  extracted  by 
Dr.  Ream.  The  result  was  a  gradual  diminution 
in  the  number  and  in  the  severity  of  the  attacks, 
and  after  a  period  of  six  months,  there  was  no 
further  return  of  the  trouble — the  disease  having 
completely  disappeared. 

Four  years  have  now  elapsed.  The  patient  has 
gained  twenty  pounds  in  weight,  and  his  mentality 
has  been  absolutely  restored.  The  conclusion  is 
obvious  that  even  small  areas  of  focal  invection, 
gingivitis,  or  pyorrhoea,  may  become  aetiological 
factors  in  grave  systemic  disease,  and  that  the 
importance  of  mouth  care  can  hardly  be  over- 
estimated. Yet  the  solution  to  this — as  to  all 
problems  connected  with  pathological  oral  con- 
ditions— is  clear.  It  merely  stresses  the  impera- 
tive necessity  of  prophylaxis — first,  last,  and  all 

1 68 


Epilepsy  Caused  by  Tooth-Decay 

the  time — and  especially  in  any  grave  systemic 
or  nervous  disorder,  no  matter  what  its  origin 
may  seem  to  be. 

Chorea  and  Twitching  of  the  Muscles  Due  to 
Decayed  Teeth.  Epilepsy  and  hystero-epilepsy, 
of  course,  are  rarely  met  with  in  dental  prac- 
tice. Much  more  frequent,  however,  are  those 
conditions  of  facial  muscle  twitching,  sometime 
amounting  to  a  violent  contraction,  with  choreac 
symptoms — or  even  of  paralysis  of  the  muscles  on 
the  side  of  the  affected  tooth. 

These  are  almost  invariably  relieved  by  cor- 
recting the  pulp  or  the  pericemental  condition 
that  first  started  them  on  their  evil  way. 

Paralytic  conditions  from  infected  teeth  have 
been  known  to  extend  to  the  arm,  or  even  to  the 
entire  side.  Occasionally,  as  recorded  by  Doctors 
Burchard  and  Inglis,  they  have  been  known  to 
produce  a  general  paralysis — all  symptoms  of  which 
disappear  after  the  removal  of  the  diseased  tooth. 

One-sided  Paralysis  from  Pulp  Decay.  Dr. 
Stellwagen  reports  a  case  where  symptoms  of 
partial  one-sided  paralysis  followed  after  two  mo- 
lar pulps  were  capped — all  symptoms  disappear- 
ing promptly  after  the  extraction  of  these  teeth. 

169 


Teeth  and  Health 

You  May  even  Become  Baldheaded  from  Bad 
Teeth.  And  Mounier,  a  French  dentist,  has  even 
reported  a  localized  loss  of  hair  from  dental  dis- 
ease. Two  such  cases  of  localized  baldness  re- 
covered their  hair-growing  ability  following  the 
cure  of  pulpitis  in  one  case,  and  the  extraction  of 
a  dead  root  in  another. 

These  cases  show  how  the  blood  supply,  even  to 
the  scalp,  may  be  affected  by  dental  disease,  and 
only  further  emphasize  that  no  root  fragment 
should  be  left  in  the  jaw  after  an  unsuccessful 
attempt  at  extraction.  For  this  root,  deprived  of 
its  source  of  nutrition,  cannot  but  act  as  a  foreign 
body  in  the  jaw,  and  may  ultimately  cause  neu- 
ralgias, and  other  serious  troubles. 

Whenever  there  is  a  suspicion  that  a  portion  of 
the  root  may  have  been  broken  off  and  left  in  the 
jaw,  following  an  extraction,  an  X-ray  examina- 
tion should  always  be  made.  This  will  clear  up 
the  matter  conclusively,  and  a  radical  operation 
can  be  done — preferably  under  an  anaesthetic, 
such  as  nitrous-oxide,  or  novocaine. 

If  your  Eyes  Trouble  you,  See  a  Dentist. 
Grave  functional  disorders  of  the  eye  may  also 
originate  in  some  pathological  condition  of  the 

170 


Epilepsy  Caused  by  Tooth-Decay 

mouth.  These  eye  conditions  are  very  painful 
and  usually  increase  in  proportion  to  the  increase 
in  the  decay  of  the  tooth  tissue,  or  in  the  increase 
in  the  amount  of  pus  absorbed  from  the  infected 
gum  structures. 

Sometimes  the  disturbance  is  so  intense  that 
amblyopia,  or  functional  blindness,  may  result. 
I  have  had  several  patients  in  whom  a  tremendous 
increase  in  visual  powers  was  brought  about  by 
the  removal  of  some  septic  tooth  process. 

Even  Ear  Troubles  may  be  Caused  by  Tooth 
Trouble.  Cases  of  suppurative  disease  of  the 
middle  ear,  and  even  of  deafness,  have  also  been 
traced  to  carious  teeth,  and  to  the  absorption  of 
septic  matter  from  around  the  roots  of  these  teeth. 

In  many  of  these  cases  of  deafness  a  marked 
increase  in  hearing  power  was  brought  about  by 
the  correction  of  some  septic  mouth  condition. 

Neuralgia  a  Common  Result  of  Bad  Teeth.  Few 
there  are  who  haven't,  at  some  time  or  other, 
played  host  to  a  full-grown  attack  of  that  most 
obstinate  of  all  nerve  pains,  neuralgia.  While 
neuralgia  may  originate  from  any  cause  that  pro- 
duces either  poison  or  pressure  enough  to  irritate 
a  nerve,  its  most  common  cause  is  toxic  irritation 

171 


Teeth  and  Health 

from  tooth  infection.  And  the  quickest  and  surest 
way  to  overcome  it  is  to  correct  the  source  of 
irritation  in  some  one  or  more  of  the  teeth. 

Examine  the  Teeth  in  Chronic  Headaches. 
Almost  invariably  those  forms  of  neuralgia  affect- 
ing the  side  of  the  face  and  head — particularly 
over  the  temples — accompanied  by  tenderness  in 
the  eyeball,  are  found  to  be  due  to  some  condition 
originating  in  the  teeth.  And,  almost  invariably, 
they  disappear  like  magic  on  the  removal  of  the 
cause.  , 

Professor  Porter's  Prescription  for  Neuralgia 
and  Headache.  As  a  temporary  relief — and  fre- 
quently a  permanent  one — provided  the  headache 
or  the  neuralgia  is  excited  only  by  an  inflamma- 
tion or  a  congestion  of  the  nerve  tissue,  and  not 
by  a  degeneration  of  this  tissue — a  combination 
of  ammonol  and  caffeine,  as  recommended  by 
William  H.  Porter,  M.D.,  has  been  found  to 
work  wonderfully  well. 

Dr.  Porter  suggests  a  powder  of  fifteen  grains 
ofc  ammonol,  with  one  half  grain  of  citrate  of 
caffeine — to  be  repeated  in  one  hour,  if  not 
relieved. 

This,  I  have  found,  is  one  of  the  safest  and 
172 


Epilepsy  Caused  by  Tooth-Decay 

surest  of  all  the  analgesics,  and  the  least  likely 
to  produce  depression. 

Look  for  Impacted  Teeth  with  the  X-ray.  Im- 
pacted teeth — teeth  that  have,  because  of  "crowd- 
ing" and  irregularity,  never  had  a  chance  to 
grow  up  out  of  the  jaw-bone — are  another  fre- 
quent cause  for  neuralgia.  This  condition  is 
more  generally  noted  in  connection  with  the 
lower  third  molars,  not  only  because  these  par- 
ticular teeth  are  the  most  likely  to  grow  length- 
wise in  the  jaw-bone,  but  also  because  the  roots 
of  molar  teeth,  while  in  this  abnormal  condition, 
are  very  likely  to  press  upon  the  inferior  dental 
nerve. 

The  diagnosis  of  these  conditions  is  readily 
made  by  means  of  the  X-ray,  and  when  found, 
the  removal  of  these  impacted  teeth  is  always 
imperatively  demanded. 

Ovarian  and  Uterine  Neuralgia  Also  a  Reflex 
of  Tooth  Trouble.  It  is  a  matter  of  record  that 
many  cases  of  ovarian  and  uterine  neuralgia,  and 
also  of  sciatica — as  described  in  another  chapter — 
as  well  as  obstinate  pains  in  the  fingers,  toes,  and 
knee  joints,  have  been  found  to  have  their  source 
in  dental  irritation.  This  was  evident  when  the 

173 


Teeth  and  Health 

source  of  irritation  and  its  consequences,  were,  by 
proper  tooth  treatment,  removed  at  the  same  time. 

Sometimes  the  Teeth  Ache  from  Medical 
Causes.  On  the  other  hand,  the  teeth  frequently 
ache  in  sympathy  with  something  remote  from 
them  and  their  habitat,  started  by  some  cause 
that  shouldn't  have  concerned  them  at  all. 

Of  such  a  character  are  the  "reflex  pains," 
started  by  chronic  malarial  poisoning;  gout,  syphi- 
lis, diseases  of  the  heart  and  blood  vessels,  preg- 
nancy, diseases  of  the  uterus,  bladder,  or  kidneys, 
constipation,  and  la  grippe. 

Toothache  from  these  causes,  needless  to  say, 
can  be  permanently  overcome  only  by  appropriate 
treatment,  at  the  hands  of  a  medical  man  com- 
petent to  properly  diagnose  and  prescribe  for 
these  cases.  Therefore,  any  attempt  at  "home 
treatment"  must  be  merely  palliative. 

So  the  interdependence  of  tooth  health  and 
physical  health  can  readily  be  seen.  All  these 
facts  have  been  established  by  thousands  of  ob- 
servations, at  the  hands  of  the  most  competent 
clinicians  in  the  world. 

Dental  Caries  a  very  Old  Disease.  Yet  tooth 
decay  itself  is  one  of  the  oldest  of  all  human  dis- 

174 


Epilepsy  Caused  by  Tooth-Decay 

eases;  for  in  the  skull  of  a  mummy  in  the  British 
Museum,  dating  from  2800  B.  C.,  well  marked 
evidences  of  dental  caries  may  be  seen. 

It  is,  however,  only  within  comparatively  recent 
years  that  the  relation  between  this  disorder  and 
physical  disease  has  been  recognized. 

So  it  now  remains  only  for  the  laity  generally, 
and  the  dental  profession,  to  awaken  to  the  reali- 
zation of  the  gravity  of  the  condition — and  to  act 
accordingly. 


175 


CHAPTER  XIII 

WHY  WE  NEED  AN  X-RAY  EXAMINATION 

THERE  is  one  sure  and  certain  method  of  ascer- 
taining exactly  whether  or  not  the  roots  of  a  tooth 
are  infected;  or  whether  a  root  canal  has  been 
properly  filled  or  not — and  this  is  by  the  use  of 
the  X-ray. 

To  illustrate  this  it  is  only  necessary  to  remem- 
ber that  in  all  likelihood  had  that  great  statesman 
and  sterling  American,  Theodore  Roosevelt,  only 
had  a  thorough  investigation  of  his  tooth  condi- 
tion by  means  of  the  X-ray,  and  had  these  teeth 
then  been  properly  attended  to  by  a  competent 
dentist,  Col.  Roosevelt  might  still  be  alive,  to 
give  us  the  benefit  of  his  sage  counsel  in  these 
troublesome  times. 

The  X-ray  Will  Tell  the  Truth  about  Dental 
Work.  For  the  X-ray  will  expose  faulty  dental 
work,  as  well  as  pathological  mouth  conditions. 

It  will  show  us  that  an  ill-fitting  crown  or  a  badly 
176 


We  Need  an  X-Ray  Examination 

placed  bridge  may  cause  serious  physical  con- 
sequences. And  thousands  of  people,  who  now 
suffer  from  chronic  ill-health,  have  it  in  their 
own  power  to  determine  the  true  cause  of  their 
troubles,  and  to  have  these  troubles  corrected. 
'  For  dental  abscesses  may  exist  for  years  without 
being  discovered,  inasmuch  as  there  are  no  acute 
symptoms — except  as  indicated  by  the  presence  of 
so-called  gum  boils — to  draw  attention  to  the  in- 
fected teeth. 

So  when  the  question  is  asked  "How  is  a  person 
to  know  that  teeth  which  give  no  evidence  of 
serious  or  dangerous  infection  are  infected?"  the 
answer  is:  "By  the  findings  of  the  X-ray." 

Progressive  Dentists  Depend  upon  the  X-ray. 
Today  there  is  hardly  a  progressive  dentist  who 
does  not  believe  that  the  use  of  the  X-ray  is  the 
greatest  of  all  aids  to  accurate  dental  practice. 
For  remember  that  blind  abscesses  and  other  focal 
infections  maybe  present  in  and  around  the  roots  of 
teeth  filled  by  even  the  most  conscientious  dentists. 

It  is  only  by  the  evidence  of  the  X-ray,  however, 
that  any  dentist — no  matter  how  careful  he  may 
have  been,  can  tell  whether  or  not  a  root  filling  is 
perfect. 

177 


Teeth  and  Health 

What  the  Editor  Said.  As  my  friend,  the  editor, 
quoted  in  the  introduction  to  this  book,  says: 

All  my  life  I  had  been  paying  for  what  I  had  sup- 
posed was  first-class  dental  work,  only  to  discover 
now  that  it  was  so  imperfect  as  to  be  the  root  of  all 
my  trouble.  Crowns  in  my  mouth  were  leaking  and 
secreting  food  that  formed  poisons;  root  canals,  as 
the  X-ray  showed,  had  been  only  partially  filled, 
resulting  in  abscesses.  There  were  at  least  six  so-called 
blind  abscesses  at  the  roots  of  my  teeth — called  blind 
because  their  presence  was  not  indicated  by  any  ex- 
ternal swelling,  and  could  be  discovered  only  by  the 
X-ray.  Yet  any  one  of  them  was  draining  sufficient 
poison  into  my  blood  to  corrupt  my  whole  system. 

And  careful  investigators  estimate  that  fully 
79  per  cent,  of  all  root  canals  were  imperfectly  filled 
before  the  X-ray  came  into  general  use. 

X-ray  Examinations  should  be  Made  Possible 
for  All.  This,  perhaps,  is  why  it  is  impossible  for 
poor  people  today  to  have  proper  dentistry  done. 
For  the  expense  in  time,  material,  and  overhead 
makes  it  impossible  for  the  dentist  to  work  with 
the  proper  spirit  and  interest,  and  give  each  par- 
ticular operation  the  time  that  is  necessary  if  the. 
work  is  to  be  properly  done. 

The  teeth  of  all  patients  should  be  X-rayed 
178 


We  Need  an  X-Ray  Examination 

where  there  is  the  slightest  indication  of  any  in- 
fection; where  there  is  any  suspicion  as  to  the 
vitality  of  a  tooth;  to  insure  root  canals  being 
properly  filled;  and  to  make  certain  that  the 
incoming  teeth  of  children  have  sufficient  room  to 
come  properly  into  place  in  the  jaw. 

The  Municipality  Should  Establish  X-ray 
Clinics.  I  am  firmly  convinced  that  there  should 
be  a  clinic  or  dental  infirmary,  where  poor  people 
could  go  and  have  the  work  of  any  dentist  checked 
up  by  means  of  an  X-ray  diagnosis. 

For  there  are  so  many  people  of  limited  means 
who  spend  what  little  money  they  can  afford  in 
order  to  have  their  teeth  put  in  what  they  suppose 
to  be  good  condition,  only  to  find  out,  after  a 
short  time,  that  the  work  has  not  been  properly 
done — that  it  has  to  be  all  done  over  again,  at 
their  ow*i  expense,  by  some  other  dentist. 

If  these  persons  lack  the  means  to  have  this 
second  operation  done- — and  unfortunately  this  is 
too  often  the  case — they  simply  continue  to  suffer 
from  the  consequences  of  the  inferior  work,  and 
finally  resort  to  extraction. 

I  have  found  in  my  practice  that  more  systemic 
trouble  arises  from  bad  dentistry — done  through 

179 


Teeth  and  Health 

carelessness,  or  because  the  dentist  was  inefficient 
— than  even  the  most  pessimistic  person  would 
think  possible. 

The  X-ray  Film  must  be  Checked  up.  Most 
well-equipped  dentists  today  do  their  own  X-ray 
work,  for  the  reason  that  radiographs  alone  can- 
not be  depended  upon  for  dental  diagnosis.  The 
film  must  be  studied  and  interpreted,  first  and 
foremost,  by  a  dentist  who  is  accustomed  to  such 
work.  And  this  must,  in  turn,  be  checked  up  by 
an  actual  physical  examination  of  the  mouth, 
before  an  accurate  decision  can  be  arrived  at. 

Why  we  Have  More  Infection  than  our 
Fathers  Had.  In  fact,  paradoxical  as  it  may  seem 
at  first  glance,  the  very  improvements  in  modern 
dentistry  have  made  possible  the  development  of 
more  dental  abscesses  than  could  ever  be  achieved 
in  our  fathers'  and  our  grandfathers'  days.  For 
when  our  ancestors  had  a  very  bad  condition  of 
tooth-decay,  the  teeth  were  extracted,  and  that 
was  the  end  of  that  chapter. 

Now,  however,  we  can  do  the  most  extensive 
kinds  of  tooth  repair,  and  save  teeth  which,  by 
all  the  laws  of  health,  there  should  never  have 
any  attempt  been  made  to  save.  So  that  under- 

180 


We  Need  an  X-Ray  Examination 

neath  expensive  and  extensive  bridge-work,  and 
under  cunningly  contrived  dentures,  there  may 
develop  a  condition  which  is  an  actual  menace 
to  the  life  of  the  individual. 

What  the  Metropolitan  Life  Found.  Dr.  Thad- 
deus  B.  Hyatt,  of  the  Dental  Section  of  the  Met- 
ropolitan Life  Insurance  Company,  has  presented 
some  figures  illustrating  the  extent  of  these  men- 
acing conditions. 

In  an  examination  of  2537  teeth  with  non -vital 
pulps,  Dr.  Hyatt  found  1404  showing  putrescent 
conditions  in  the  tissues  surrounding  the  roots. 

Indeed,  X-rays  of  filled  teeth  often  show  that 
"false  channels"  have  been  filled;  while  the  nor- 
mal channels,  if  crooked  or  tortuous  in  their 
"direction,"  have  been  left  unfilled,  thereby  invit- 
ing infection. 

Dead  Teeth  a  Source  of  Danger.  Dead  teeth 
of  this  description  cannot  but  prove  to  be  a 
source  of  grave  danger.  Unless  they  can  be 
properly  filled,  they  should  be  removed,  and  their 
places  filled  with  an  artificial  denture.  In  fact, 
all  dead  teeth  should  be  watched  carefully  by 
X-ray  means,  for  signs  of  infection.  If  they  show 
the  slightest  signs  of  causing  trouble,  they  should 

181 


Teeth  and  Health 

be  immediately  attended  to — even  if  this  necessi- 
tates extraction. 

Some  Doctors  and  Dentists  still  Regard  Infec- 
tion as  Unimportant.  It  is  to  be  greatly  regretted 
that,  in  spite  of  the  overwhelming  mass  of  evi- 
dence proving  the  harmful  systemic  effect  of 
mouth  conditions  many  physicians  and  dentists 
refuse  to  take  these  matters  seriously.  Tooth 
abscesses  are  so  common,  and  are  so  often  unac- 
companied by  general  symptoms,  that  these  men 
are  led  to  look  upon  them  as  unimportant. 

Yet  the  Life  Extension  Institute  has  gone  on  rec- 
ord as  stating  that  a  complete  X-ray  examination 
of  the  upper  and  lower  jaw  is  one  of  the  best  forms 
of  life  insurance  a  person,  could  possibly  take  out. 

Of  the  last  two  hundred  cases  examined  by 
X-ray  in  this  Institution,  135  or  67^  per  cent, 
showed  indubitable  evidences  of  mouth  infection. 

Two  Hundred  and  Five  Foci  of  Infection  in 
One  Hundred  and  Thirty-five  People.  The  total 
number  of  abscessed  and  infected  teeth  found 
among  these  135  people  was  205.  The  number  of 
teeth  improperly  filled  and  requiring  immediate 
dental  attention  was  193. 

All  these  patients  had  been  under  what  they 

182 


We  Need  an  X-Ray  Examination 

fondly  imagined  was  competent  dental  care,  and 
had  spent  considerable  money  in  having  dental 
work  done.  Yet  their  failure  to  have  an  X-ray 
examination  permitted  these  grave  infectious  con- 
ditions to  pass  unnoted. 

How  Bladder  Trouble  was  Cured.  Dr.  Fisk, 
in  commenting  upon  this,  says : 

Perhaps  the  most  essential  feature  of  the  periodic 
examination  is  the  X-ray,  without  which  the  discovery 
of  some  sources  of  physical  impairment  would  be 
impossible.  An  instance  of  its  value  is  the  story  of  a 
man  who  was  suffering  severe  rheumatism  and  cysti- 
tis. He  had  severe  pain  and  had  lost  weight  very 
much  before  coming  to  the  laboratory.  During  the 
examination  it  was  discovered  that,  although,  most 
of  his  teeth  were  gone,  he  had  still  about  half  a  dozen, 
all  of  which  were  loose,  and  he  wore  a  plate.  An 
X-ray  of  his  teeth  showed  that  all  of  them  were 
abscessed,  which  caused  a  continuous  drainage  of 
poison  into  the  system.  He  was  advised  to  have  his 
teeth  out.  Ten  days  afterward  he  returned  to  the 
Institute.  His  rheumatism  and  bladder  trouble  had 
practically  disappeared  and  he  no  longer  suffered 
pain.  After  six  months  it  had  not  returned.  In- 
fected teeth  often  cause  rheumatism,  as  almost  every- 
one knows,  but  the  interesting  feature  of  this  case  was 
that  the  bladder  trouble  apparently  also  came  from 
the  same  source. 

183 


Teeth  and  Health 

Disease  of  the  Eye  Due  to  Faulty  Teeth.    One 

of  the  most  unusual  cases,  as  illustrating  the 
value  of  the  X-ray  in  aiding  correct  diagnosis, 
has  been  reported  by  William  H.  Haskin,  M.  D. 
Dr.  Haskin  says: 

A  New  York  policeman  had  been  under  treatment 
at  the  Manhattan  Eye  and  Ear  Hospital  for  seven 
months  for  a  disease  affecting  both  eyes.  Some  time 
after  his  eye  treatment  began  he  had  two  dental 
bridges  anchored  to  four  teeth.  Upon  return  to  the 
hospital  the  condition  of  the  eyes  became  greatly 
aggravated.  Radiographs  were  taken  of  the  teeth 
which  revealed  marked  infection  about  the  four 
teeth.  They  were  immediately  extracted.  The  result 
was  most  startling.  All  pain  disappeared  within 
twenty-four  hours,  the  inflammation  began  to  sub- 
side, and  the  policeman  returned  to  duty  seventeen 
days  later. 

Have  your  Teeth  X-rayed.  These  are  signifi- 
cant results.  They  cannot  fail  to  excite  profound 
interest  in  all  those  who  still  retain  sufficient  self- 
interest  to  warrant  their  seeking  all  the  scientific 
aid  available,  in  order  to  preserve  their  lives,  and 
their  physical  efficiency. 

There  is  no  more  pain  or  physical  discomfort 
in  having  an  X-ray  photo  taken  than  there  is  in 

184 


We  Need  an  X-Ray  Examination 

having  any  other  kind  of  a  photo  taken.  I  can 
only  urge  everyone  who  has  the  slightest  suspicion 
of  any  condition  which  an  X-ray  might  disclose, 
to  go  at  once  and  have  it  disclosed. 

In  no  possible  way  could  they  do  themselves 
and  their  family  a  greater  kindness,  or  a  more 
definitely  remunerative  service. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

HOW  ZONE  THERAPY  RELIEVES  TOOTH  PAINS 

(Data  furnished  by  courtesy  of  Drs.  FitzGerald 
and  Bowers.) 

IT  may  seem  a  perfectly  ridiculous  proposition, 
on  the  face  of  it,  but  the  fact  remains  that  by 
strong  pressures,  exerted  by  the  finger,  or  by 
therapy  zones — which  are  spiral  steel  springs — or 
by  rubber  bands  applied  tightly  around  the 
joints  of  the  fingers,  pain  can  be  relieved,  and 
sometimes  entirely  mitigated. 

This  relief  depends  for  its  success  upon  a  proper 
understanding  of  the  zones  and  their  relation- 
ship, a  proper  selection  of  the  methods  employed, 
and  persisting  in  the  attempt  for  a  sufficient 
length  of  time. 

Where  to  Press  for  Results.  If  the  cheek  im- 
mediately over  the  aching  tooth  be  caught  between 
the  thumb  and  the  index  finger  or  else  squeezed 
tightly  against  the  gums  for  three  or  four  minutes, 

1 86 


Zone  Therapy  Relieves  Tooth  Pains 

very  frequently  the  pain  of  toothache — provided 
it  is  not  due  to  the  exposed  pulp — may  be  com- 
pletely relieved. 

Better  still,  if  the  gums  over  the  roots  of  the 
aching  tooth  are  grasped  firmly  by  the  index 
finger  and  the  thumb,  the  results  are  even  better, 
as,  in  addition  to  the  zone  therapy  relief,  there 
is  also  a  manifest  "blocking"  of  the  nervous  im- 
pulse. Indeed,  extractions  of  teeth,  and  even  the 
removal  of  impacted  teeth,  or  the  excision  of  a 
portion  of  necrosed  jaw-bone,  have  been  pain- 
lessly done  under  this  form  of  anaesthesia. 

Even  Pressure  on  the  Fingers  Will  Fre- 
quently Work.  But  even  finger  pressures  exerted 
over  the  first  or  second  joint  of  the  finger  corres- 
ponding to  the  tooth  involved,  may  give  most 
satisfactory  results.  It  is  merely  required  that 
one  remember  that  pressure  upon  the  thumb, 
forefinger,  middle  and  ring  fingers  of  either  hand 
will  control  correspondingly  pain  in  the  incisors, 
cuspids,  bi-cuspids,  and  the  two  molars  on  either 
side  of  the  median  or  central  line  of  the  jaw — 
providing  that  there  is  no  great  amount  of  inflam- 
mation, or  no  abscess  in  the  vicinity  of  the  cor- 
responding teeth. 

187 


Teeth  and  Health 

Occasionally  the  control  overlaps,  in  which  case  it 
is  necessary  also  to  use  the  finger  next  to  the  zone 
finger.  In  fact,  in  order  to  make  assurance  doubly 
sure,  it  may  not  be  a  bad  idea  to  band  or  otherwise 
treat  the  two  fingers  contiguous  to  the  finger  which 
actually  controls  the  particular'  zone  involved. 

How  Long  to  Maintain  Pressures.  These 
pressures  should  be  maintained  from  five  to  ten 
minutes — by  the  watch.  If  they  are  made  on  the 
fingers  they  should  be  persisted  in  until  there  is 
a  very  definitely  defined  bluish  discolouration  of 
the  finger  tip  being  operated  upon. 

The  proper  application  of  these  principles  can- 
not fail  to  be  of  immense  value  to  the  dentist  and 
oral  surgeon  in  their  daily  practice.  In  relieving 
toothache  and  neuralgia,  in  removing  deposits,  in 
preparing  cavities,  and,  in  fact,  in  most  painful 
operations  which  dentists  are  called  upon  to  per- 
form, this  pressure  technique  is  invaluable,  as 
many  dentists  are  learning  every  day. 

And  further,  the  application  of  these  principles 
will  inevitably  encourage  public  interest  in  den- 
tistry, and  will  materially  diminish  the  sum  total 
of  pain  and  suffering  that  humanity  is  called  upon 
to  endure. 

1 88 


Zone  Therapy  Relieves  Tooth  Pains 

As  Dr.  Charles  H.  Riggs  remarked,  "It  is  most 
common — and  highly  gratifying  among  the  many 
dentists  now  using  zone  therapy — to  have  sensi- 
tive patients,  those  upon  whom,  because  of  past 
exhausting  experiences,  they  have  always  dreaded 
working — say:  'Well,  Doctor,  if  you  never  hurt 
me  any  more  than  you  did  today,  I  shall  never 
again  fear  to  come  to  you." 

How  Mothers  May  Apply  the  Knowledge. 
Mothers  will  find  this  method  a  safe  and  certain 
means  of  relieving  themselves  and  their  children 
of  an  immense  amount  of  pain  and  discomfort. 
For,  while  they  cannot,  of  course,  hope  to  possess 
the  technical  knowledge  enabling  them  to  find  and 
exert  pressure  upon  the  nerves  themselves  as 
dentists  do,  it  is  a  comparatively  simple  matter 
for  them  to  rigidly  grasp  the  roots  of  an  aching 
tooth  between  their  thumb  and  finger,  and  by 
firm  pressure  maintained  for  five  minutes,  tempo- 
rarily relieve  pain — at  least  until  they  can  take 
their  child  to  the  dentist. 

If  this  may  not  seem  feasible,  they  can,  by 
remembering  the  fingers  that  correspond  with  the 
particular  zone  it  is  desired  to  influence,  do  much 
to  relieve  distressing  conditions  in  that  zone  until 

189 


Teeth  and  Health 

such  time  as  the  dentist  can  be  visited,  by  squeez- 
ing, or  by  applying  rubber  bands  around,  the 
proper  fingers. 

Squeezing  the  Second  Finger  for  a  Pain  in  the 
Molar  Tooth.  For  example :  at  a  dinner  party  the 
other  night,  one  of  the  guests  complained  of 
severe  pain  in  the  right  upper  first  molar.  A 
dentist  present  told  her  to  squeeze  firmly  the  joint 
of  her  second  or  middle  finger,  which  advice  she 
considered  a  very  ill-timed  and  pointless  joke. 
The  dentist,  insisting  that  he  was  seriously  and 
helpfully  disposed,  persuaded  the  lady  to  obey 
instructions,  and  in  a  very  few  minutes  she  beamed 
complete  relief  from  her  dental  anguish. 

Curing  a  Travelling  Man's  "Sore"  Teeth. 
Another  instance  in  which  toothache  was  relieved 
in  an  unusual  manner  is  reported  by  Dr.  J.  Roe- 
mer,  who  operated  with  a  pair  of  rubber  bands 
upon  the  aching  teeth  of  a  young  travelling  man. 
Dr.  Roemer  stated  that  this  man  came  to  his 
office  with  an  extremely  painful  and  sensitive 
condition,  chiefly  affecting  the  incisor  teeth.  As 
the  Knight  of  the  Leather  Bag  explained  it,  his 
teeth  were  so  "sore"  that  he  could  not  eat  any 
solid  food  whatever,  and  he  didn't  much  relish 

190 


Zone  Therapy  Relieves  Tooth  Pains 

the  food  he  drank.  A  dentist  who  had  examined 
the  salesman  could  find  nothing  wrong  with  the 
teeth,  from  the  dental  standpoint. 

The  Meaning  of  "Sensitive  Spots."  Dr.  Roe- 
mer,  however,  examined  the  man  in  a  character- 
istic zone  therapy  way.  He  searched  the  patient's 
fingers  with  a  metal  comb,  to  find  out  what  was 
the  matter  with  his  teeth.  This  search  disclosed 
the  presence  of  "spots"  on  the  inside  of  the  thumb 
and  first  finger  which  were  acutely  sensitive  to 
pressures  from  the  teeth  of  the  comb. 

The  diagnosis  established,  the  treatment  was 
simplicity  itself.  The  doctor  merely  applied  rub- 
ber bands  about  a  quarter-inch  wide  and  two 
inches  in  length,  binding  them  around  the  first 
joint — counting  from  the  tip — of  the  thumb  and 
first  finger.  These  he  left  on  until  bluish  discol- 
ouration appeared,  with  instructions  to  remove 
and  re-apply  several  times  daily. 

The  travelling  man  reported  the  following  day 
that  he  had  enjoyed  a  good  night's  sleep — the 
first  for  many  nights — and  after  forty-eight  hours 
of  this  treatment  he  telephoned  that  all  pain  and 
sensitiveness  had  completely  disappeared. 

Curing  Neuralgia  by  Finger  Pressures.  In 
191 


Teeth  and  Health 

neuralgia  and  other  painful  conditions  of  long 
standing,  where  there  are  no  decayed  teeth — or 
other  dental  causes  for  the  pain — many  permanent 
cures  have  been  effected  by  pressure  treatment. 
Almost  it  would  seem  that  whatever  tends  to 
reduce  the  pain  also  helps  to  remedy  its  cause,  no 
matter  how  remote. 

As  illustrating,  in  detail,  the  successful  "home 
treatment"  of  neuralgia,  a  recent  case  reported 
by  a  Western  physician  is  most  interesting.  The 
doctor  says: 

I  saw  recently  a  patient  with  trifacial  neuralgia  of 
two  years'  standing.  Nothing  had  relieved  it  perma- 
nently. The  attack  which  brought  him  to  me  was  of 
four  or  five  days'  duration.  During  this  time  he  had 
been  unable  to  eat.  Even  the  attempt  to  speak 
would  bring  on  an  acute  paroxysm  of  pain  of  a  sharp, 
piercing  nature,  which  radiated  over  the  entire  left 
side  of  the  face,  extending  from  the  lower  and  the 
upper  jaw,  and  up  into  the  left  eye.  These  parox- 
ysms left  him  as  "limp  as  a  rag." 

Better  than  Having  the  Nerve  Cut.  He  had 
been  advised  to  have  the  nerve  cut,  as  offering  the 
only  relief  for  his  trouble.  I  applied  rubber  bands 
on  the  joints  nearest  the  tip  of  the  thumb  and  fore- 
finger of  the  left  hand,  which  zone,  of  course,  corre- 
sponds with  the  left  side  of  the  face  which  was  affected 
by  the  neuralgia. 

192 


Zone  Therapy  Relieves  Tooth  Pains 

In  less  than  ten  minutes  my  patient  was  talking 
and  laughing,  and  we  had  quite  a  visit.  I  told  him 
nothing  about  what  was  being  attempted  with  the 
bands,  so  he  wasn't  "hypnotized."  After  we  saw 
results,  however,  I  instructed  him  to  apply  the  bands 
every  half  hour,  if  the  pain  continued,  and  as  it  de- 
creased, to  lengthen  the  interval  of  the  application. 

When  next  I  saw  him,  several  days  later,  he  laugh- 
ingly said,  "Oh,  I  apply  the  rubbers  once  a  day  now, 
as  I  don't  want  that  pain  to  come  back."  He  is  now 
enjoying  life  better  than  he  has  for  years,  thanks  to 
"those  fool  rubber  bands,"  as  his  daughter  called 
them. 

Any  Pressures  Good,  so  Long  as  they  are  in 
the  Proper  Zone.  Pressures  made  with  the  thumb 
and  index  finger  on  the  lower  jaw  (externally)  in 
the  zones  corresponding  to  an  aching  tooth,  are 
frequently  helpful. 

Every  zone  in  the  body  may  be  covered  in  its 
entirety  in  this  manner.  The  thumb  should  be 
firmly  hooked  beneath  the  under  surface  of  the 
chin,  the  fingers  exerting  a  counter-pressure  on 
the  lower  outer  surface,  in  order  to  get  the  best 
results. 

Many  patients  find  that  the  severity  of  pain  of 
many  minor  dental  operations  can  be  very  greatly 
mitigated  if  they  press  firmly  the  appropriate 
13  193 


Teeth  and  Health 

finger  and  thumb  tips  on  the  arms  of  the  operat- 
ing chair,  during  excavation,  scaling,  or  other 
rather  painful  treatment. 

Sometimes  pain  in  the  jaws  may  be  greatly  de- 
sensitized by  packing  tightly  the  outer  half  of  the 
auditory  canals  with  slightly  moistened  absorbent 
cotton. 

How  Points  of  Infection  Manifest  Disturbances 
in  Remote  Sections  of  the  Body.  One  of  the  most 
significant  facts  in  connection  with  zone  therapy  is 
the  intimate  relation  between  morbid  dental  con- 
ditions and  pain,  or  even  pathological  changes,  in 
practically  every  section  of  the  body.  It  has  been 
demonstrated  beyond  a  shadow  of  doubt  that 
points — or  foci — of  infection  within  the  mouth,  or 
in  the  teeth,  frequently  manifest  disturbances 
most  remote  from  their  point  of  origin. 

This  is  one  reason  why  many  physicians  and 
surgeons,  using  the  method,  make  a  routine 
practice  of  sending  every  patient,  in  whom  dental 
disease  is  even  suspected,  for  a  thorough  over- 
hauling by  a  competent  dentist. 

Curing  Sciatica  by  Extracting  a  Tooth.  This  may 
be  better  illustrated  by  quoting  a  case  reported  by 
Dr.  James  A.  Lawton,  of  Middletown,  Connecticut. 

194 


Zone  Therapy  Relieves  Tooth  Pains 

Dr.  Lawton  says: 

I  was  called  to  the  hospital  to  examine  the  teeth 
of  a  patient  who  had  been  suffering  from  sciatica  of 
the  right  side  for  two  months.  A  dozen  physicians 
had  exhausted  their  ingenuity  in  prescribing,  and 
could  not  lift  the  pain  except  with  morphine,  which 
was  usually  given  at  night  to  induce  sleep. 

After  three  months  of  this  the  physician  in  charge 
decided  to  have  the  patient's  teeth  examined,  and  I 
was  called  in. 

Finding  an  Impacted  Molar.  The  patient  was  a 
woman  of  about  forty-five.  I  found  her  in  bed, 
unable  to  move  without  exciting  severe  pain  in  the 
right  leg  and  hip.  I  examined  the  teeth,  and  found 
them  in  remarkably  good  condition — no  cavities,  and 
all  fillings  in  good  shape.  Naturally  I  examined  the 
right  molars,  all  of  which  were  sound,  but  I  noticed 
that  the  lower  right  third  molar  (the  wisdom  tooth) — 
which  is  in  the  same  zone  as  the  sciatic  nerve — was 
impacted. 

The  anterior  cusps  were  caught  on  the  distal  aspect 
of  the  second  molar,  and  the  posterior  cusps  were 
projected  above  the  jaw.  Thus  we  had  the  roots  of 
the  third  molar  forced  backwards,  exerting  a  con- 
stant pressure  in  the  zone  which  found  its  expression 
in  the  ready  sciatic  nerve. 

Anaesthetizing  a  Tooth  from  the  Finger  Tips.  I 
decided  on  extraction,  using  pressures  over  the  finger 
joints,  and  later  directly  on  the  inferior  dental  nerve. 
After  three  or  four  minutes  I  removed  the  tooth, 

195 


Teeth  and  Health 

without  the  slightest  particle  of  feeling  on  the  part 
of  the  highly  nervous  patient,  who  all  the  time  had 
been  calling  for  a  general  anaesthetic. 

The  nurses  expressed  astonishment,  and  when  the 
patient  turned  on  her  side  to  expectorate  she  was  still 
more  amazed  to  find  that  there  was  no  pain  in  her  leg. 
Her  sciatica  was  cured  immediately.  Nor  did  it 
recur.  And  three  days  later  she  was  discharged  from 
the  hospital.  This  was  four  years  ago,  and  there  has 
been  no  more  sciatica  in  her  case. 

You  can  readily  understand  that,  with  hundreds  of 
reports  of  similar  cases  from  all  over  the  country, 
that  zone  therapy  is  extremely  valuable  as  a  diag- 
nostic aid,  as  well  as  a  valuable  method  of  treatment. 
I  may  say  also  that  I  have  noticed  in  using  zone 
therapy  in  extractions,  that  there  is  a  marked  de- 
crease in  post-operative  bleeding. 


Relieving  a  Patient  over  the  Telephone.     Not 

infrequently  great  pleasure  and  satisfaction  is 
afforded  both  patient  and  dentist  when  some 
sufferer  calls  up  on  the  phone  at  two  or  three  in 
the  morning,  and  inquires  what  finger  to  put  a 
rubber  band  on  in  order  to  relieve  the  pain  of  a 
certain  tooth,  especially  when  the  advice  given 
has  been  followed  by  relief. 

It  has  been  for  many  years  a  quite  general 
piece  of  knowledge  among  dentists — as  well  as 

196 


Zone  Therapy  Relieves  Tooth  Pains 

among  well-informed  laymen — that  the  applica- 
tion of  menthol  to  the  mucous  membrane  of  the 
nose,  on  the  same  side  as  an  aching  tooth,  will 
very  frequently  stop  a  toothache.  If  dentists,  and 
mothers  generally,  will  now  apply  a  slight  elabo- 
ration of  this  bit  of  zone  therapy  technique  to 
relieving  toothache  and  neuralgia,  they  may  se- 
cure some  very  surprising  results. 

And  if  the  results  are  not  up  to  expectations, 
there  will  not  have  been  the  slightest  particle  of 
harm  done  in  trying,  anyhow. 


197 


CHAPTER  XV 

MOUTH    WASHES,    TOOTH    PASTE,    APPLES, 
AND    TOOTHBRUSHES 

WHILE  ninety  out  of  every  one  hundred  people 
in  this  country — and  heaven  only  knows  what 
percentage  more  in  other  countries — are  more  or 
less  keenly  in  need  of  dental  attention,  yet  it  is 
also  a  fact  that  the  reading  public — through  news- 
papers and  magazines,  government  leaflets,  Life 
Extension  Institute  Publicity,  and  other  sources 
of  information — is  being  made  acquainted  with 
the  necessity  of  tooth  preservation. 

This  is  not  alone  from  the  standpoint  of  the 
cosmetic  effect,  but  also  from  the  standpoint  of 
better  mastication,  and  of  the  important  part  that 
sound  teeth  play  in  developing  sound  health,  in 
increasing  physical  and  mental  efficiency,  and  in 
facilitating  a  better  work  output. 

The  Good  Effects  of  "Toothbrush  Drills." 
By  the  hundreds  of  thousands,  in  school  clinics, 

198 


Mouth  Washes 

free  dental  clinics — such  as  the  Rochester  and  the 
Forsyth  Infirmaries — in  "toothbrush  drills,"  in 
lectures,  moving  pictures,  in  the  industrial  dental 
infirmaries,  and  by  lesson  leaflets  this  message  of 
oral  prophylaxis  is  being  driven  home. 

The  general  public  who  can  afford  dental  atten- 
tion— and  these  are  all  too  few  under  the  present 
lack  of  provision  for  caring  for  the  financially  de- 
crepit— are  awakening  to  this  need  for  dental 
service. 

Scientific  Dentistry  a  Recognized  Need.  So 
that  today,  among  hundreds  of  thousands  of  pro- 
gressive American  families,  provision  is  made  for 
the  yearly  fees  of  the  family  dentist,  quite  as  a 
regular  and  legitimate  item  of  expense;  and  more 
and  more  the  public  is  learning  to  value  the  dentist 
for  what  he  means  to  them. 

The  movement  popularizing  oral  hygiene  has 
probably  made  more  progress  during  the  past  five 
years  than  during  the  past  five  hundred  years. 
The  aggregate  of  money  spent  for  mouth  washes, 
dental  pastes  and  powders,  articles  for  the  dental 
toilet,  and  toothbrushes  must  run  into  the  millions 
of  dollars  annually. 

The  amount  of  good  these  do  cannot  be  com- 
199 


Teeth  and  Health 

puted — except  in  terms  of  lives,  happiness,  and 
health — and  in  that  tremendous  sense  of  satisfac- 
tion that  comes  to  individuals  who  are  trying — in 
their  humble  way — to  make  themselves  as  whole- 
some and  unobnoxious  as  possible. 

All  about  Mouth  Washes.  Perhaps  the  most 
generally-used  agent  in  this  connection  is  the 
"mouth  wash" — either  alkaline,  or  the  so-called 
"antiseptic"  or  else  a  combination  of  both  alka- 
line and  antiseptic. 

For  the  alkaline  mouth  wash  there  is  a  great 
deal  to  be  said,  because  of  the  fact  that  most  of 
the  pathological  germs  of  the  mouth  breed  in  an 
acid  medium.  Consequently,  when  the  acid  se- 
cretions of  the  mouth  are  neutralized  by  rinsing 
with  an  alkali,  the  medium  in  which  the  germs 
may  propagate  is  decidely  less  favourable  for  their 
rapid  growth. 

The  Alkaline  Mouth  Wash.  Of  these  alkaline 
mouth  washes,  perhaps  salt  and  water — a  tea- 
spoonful  of  common  table  salt  to  a  glass  of  water — 
used  morning  and  night,  is  one  of  the  best  known 
and  most  generally  effective;  although  soda  bi- 
carbonate— common  baking  soda — in  the  same 
proportion,  is  claimed  by  many  to  be  even  better. 

200 


Mouth  Washes 

I  have  found  in  my  practice  that  a  teaspoonful 
of  milk  of  magnesia,  rinsed  through  the  mouth, 
so  that  every  part  of  every  tooth  is  bathed  in  this 
alkaline  fluid,  is  the  most  effective  of  all  mouth 
washes. 

The  milk  of  magnesia  prepared  by  precipita- 
tion has  given  particularly  satisfactory  results,  in 
my  experience,  due  probably  to  the  fact  that  a 
perfect  suspension  of  colloidal  magnesium  hydrox- 
ide— a  chemical  combination  of  magnesia  and 
water — is  secured.  This  not  only  neutralizes  the 
acidity,  but  also  leaves  a  protecting  film  of  mag- 
nesia over  the  surfaces  of  the  teeth,  which  protects 
these  organs.  It  helps  also  to  preserve  the  alka- 
linity of  the  oral  secretions — sometimes  for  as 
long  as  four  or  five  hours  at  a  time,  soothing 
eroded  surfaces. 

Other  alkaline  mouth  washes  that  have  proved 
very  effective  are  alkalol,  glyco-thymoline,  boro- 
lyptol,  and  several  other  well-known  preparations. 

Mildly  Acid  Mouth  Washes.  Hydrogen  dioxide 
is  used  by  many,  and,  in  proportion  of  one  part  to 
two  of  water,  it  acts  as  a  very  efficient  germicide. 
In  my  experience,  however,  the  continued  use  of 
any  mildly  acid  preparation  tends  to  excite  undue 

201 


Teeth  and  Health 

irritation  and  sensitivity  of  the  necks  of  the  teeth 
— especially  if  used  in  conjunction  with  a  brush 
that  is  even  moderately  hard  in  texture. 

The  same  thing  is  true  of  listerine,  also  a  mild 
acid,  but  nevertheless  a  very  excellent  antiseptic 
mouth  wash. 

It  is  the  general  concensus  of  opinion,  however, 
that  mouth  washes  have  but  a  superficial  effect, 
and  cannot,  in  any  way,  take  the  place  of  an  agent 
qualified  to  produce  a  thorough  mechanical  cleans- 
ing of  the  tooth  surfaces. 

Chlorazene  the  Most  Effective  Germicide.  So 
far  as  its  antiseptic  action  is.  concerned,  however, 
there  is  no  doubt  but  that  chlorazene  (the  solution 
discovered  by  Dr.  Dakin,  and  introduced  into 
general  use  in  the  Allied  Armies  by  the  famous 
surgeon,  Dr.  Carrell)  is  one  of  the  very  best  of 
all  mouth  washes. 

This  solution  is  particularly  effective  in  helping 
to  overcome  pus  formation  in  pyorrhceal  conditions 
• — just  as  it  overcame  pus  formation  in  the  suppurat- 
ing wounds  of  our  soldiers  during  the  Great  War. 

How  Chlorazene  Acts.  Dr.  W.  H.  Dixler,  in  a 
paper  read  before  the  Pittsburgh  Odontological 
Society,  says: 

202 


Mouth  Washes 

The  action  of  chlorazene  is  an  intensely  germicidal 
one,  having  a  store  of  chemically  combined  chlorine 
in  a  form  which  is  non-irritating  and  non-toxic.  When 
brought  in  contact  with  proteins  and  blood  serum 
micro-organisms  and  pus,  it  readily  parts  with  its 
chlorine  to  the  basic  substance,  immediately  exerting 
its  antiseptic  and  germicidal  action. 

We  found  that  it  performs  this  chemical  action 
without  irritation,  and  that  it  does  not  coagulate 
albumen,  nor  does  it  interfere  with  the  digestive  action 
of  trypsin  of  protein,  but  it  does  actively  disintegrate 
protein,  and  influence  a  flow  of  lymph,  thereby 
cleansing  the  wounds,  which  is  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant features  in  wound  sterilization.  We  are  in- 
clined to  believe  that  necrosed  tissue  is  dissolved  and 
liquified,  so  that  it  may  be  carried  away  by  drainage 
or  absorption,  and  in  this  way  the  germs  on  the  clean 
surface  of  the  living  tissue  readily  are  exposed  to  its 
germicidal  action. 

It  has  been  found  that  a  one  in  one  thousandth 
solution  of  this  chlorazene  is  more  effective  than 
a  five  per  cent,  solution  of  carbolic  acid,  and  is 
absolutely  non-toxic  and  non-irritating. 

The  home  use  of  this  solution  consists  in  the 
patient  rinsing  the  mouth  with  chlorazene  of  a 
one  half  to  one  per  cent,  strength,  morning  and 
night — holding  the  fluid  in  the  mouth  for  at  least 
a  minute  or  two,  in  order  to  secure  the  maxi- 

203 


Teeth  and  Health 

mum  germicidal  action.  And,  if  only  a  small 
amount1 — four  to  eight  ounces  of  the  solution 
— is  made  up  at  a  time,  there  is  no  reason 
why  it  should  not  keep  perfectly,  without  de- 
terioration. 

What  to  Do  for  Bleeding  Gums.  For  sore  and 
bleeding  gums  I  have  found  that  a  home-made 
solution  of 

Alcohol,  one  part, 
Vinegar,  one  part,  and 
Water,  eight  parts, 

is  an  ideal  preparation.  This  will  overcome  the 
trouble,  usually  within  a  week  or  less,  and  won- 
derfully improve  the  local  nutrition  of  the  gum 
structures. 

Stomatitis  Blisters.  Where  there  is  a  tendency 
toward  ulceration  or  "stomatitis  blisters"  I  have 
found  lemon  juice  an  admirable  corrective.  Used 
freely,  several  times  a  day,  it  heals  up  recurrent 
mucous  patches  that  resist  all  other  forms  of 
treatment.  This  is  simple,  absolutely  harmless, 
and  is  well  worth  a  trial. 

A  Corrective  for  "Bad  Breath."  In  the  dis- 
agreeable exhalation  and  fetor  from  decayed  teeth 

204 


Mouth  Washes 

or  septic  tonsils,  so  common  with  many,  I  have 
found  that 

Thymol,  eight  grains, 
Alcohol,  one  fluid  ounce, 
Glycerine,  four  fluid  drams, 
Solution  of  formaldehyde,  eight  drops, 
Water,  to  make  eight  fluid  ounces, 

used  as  a  mouth  wash,  will  give  almost  certain 
results.  This  solution  should  be  in  the  medicine 
chest  of  every  pyorrhceic,  and  in  fact,  should  be 
used  by  every  human  being  who  has  a  reverent 
regard  for  the  olefactor  sensibilities  of  the  army 
of  his  fellows  with  whom  he  is  brought  into  inti- 
mate daily  contact. 

Brushing  with  Warm  Water  not  Enough.  Some 
authorities  claim  that  for  all  ordinary  purposes 
brushing  the  teeth  with  warm  water,  after  each 
meal,  and  before  retiring,  should  be  sufficient. 
This,  in  my  experience,  is  not  sufficient. 

I  am  willing  to  admit  that  strong  antiseptics, 
carrying  carbolic  acid,  chlorate  of  potash,  or  irri- 
tating essential  oils,  in  solution,  might  prove 
harmful  on  continued  use.  But  even  these  prepa- 
rations have  their  place,  and,  under  certain  cir- 

205 


Teeth  and  Health 

cumstances,  are  admirable.  Their  use,  however, 
should,  in  my  opinion,  be  first  sanctioned  by  a 
physician  or  a  dentist.  They  should  not  be  used 
indiscriminately  by  patients. 

Tooth  Pastes.  Many  eminent  dentists  decry 
the  use  of  tooth  pastes  on  the  grounds  that  some 
of  these  preparations  contain  substances  which 
experience  has  taught  us  are  admirably  adapted 
for  the  development  and  propagation  of  bacteria. 

It  is  true  that  many  of  these  preparations  do 
contain  gelatine,  sugar,  soap,  flour,  and  even 
honey — substances  which  are  mince  pie  and  ice 
cream  to  the  busy  bugs  responsible  for  tooth 
decay.  Also,  many  tooth  pastes,  in  order  to  pre- 
vent hardening  in  the  tube,  contain  viscid  sub- 
stances of  some  character — usually  gum  tragicum. 
It  is  undeniable  that  germs  might  find  these  sub- 
stances admirable  culture  media  for  luxurious 
development. 

Yet  it  is  also  a  fact,  borne  out  by  experience  in 
millions  of  cases,  that  all  these  substances  may 
be  thoroughly  rinsed  out  of  the  mouth  after  the 
teeth  are  brushed;  consequently  they  cannot  form 
any  source  of  permanent  danger  based  on  furnish- 
ing means  for  germ  growth. 

206 


Tooth  Paste 

Hold  Fast  to  that  which  is  Good.  Therefore, 
if  you  have  found  a  good  tooth  paste  which  does 
not  abrade  the  enamel  of  the  teeth,  which  cleans 
thoroughly,  which  leaves  the  mouth  with  a  pleas- 
ant sense  of  freshness,  and  which  rinses  out  thor- 
oughly— leaving  no  mechanical  or  sticky  deposits 
to  irritate  the  gums — go  right  ahead  and  use  this. 
For  it  cannot  possibly  do  any  harm.  And  the 
good  it  will  undoubtedly  do  will  vastly  overshadow 
any  ill  effects  which  theoretically  might  ensue 
from  its  use. 

Tooth  Powder  an  Ultra-modern  Dentrifice. 
Many  of  the  leading  dental  authorities  now  con- 
tend that  only  by  means  of  a  tooth  powder  is  it 
possible  to  secure  absolute  cleanliness  of  the  tooth 
surfaces.  For  the  process  of  removing  film,  dental 
placques,  and  stain  from  the  teeth  is  largely  a 
mechanical  one. 

It  is  highly  necessary,  therefore,  that  the  den- 
trifice  have  a  definite  amount  xrf  abrasiveness,  so 
that  it  may  "bite"  and  "gi'p"  the  material  to 
be  forcibly  removed. 

Yet  the  powder  must  be  free  from  grit,  infuso- 
rial earth,  and  other  substances  insoluble  in  water 
or  the  mouth  fluids. 

207 


Teeth  and  Health 

I  have  found  calox  tooth  powder  to  be  ideal 
in  this  connection — inasmuch  as,  when  wet  with 
water,  or  moistened  by  the  mouth  fluids,  it  in- 
stantly develops  milk  of  lime  and  hydrogen  dioxide. 

This  solution  neutralizes  the  acids  largely  re- 
sponsible for  dental  caries  and  erosions;  while,  at 
the  same  time,  acting  as  a  powerful  bactericide — 
destroying  the  germs  and  oxydizing  decaying  par- 
ticles of  food  on  which  the  germs  feed. 

This  powder  also  develops  nascent  oxygen.  It  is 
alkaline;  and  its  ingredients  are  perfectly  soluble. 
All  of  which  attributes  make  it  a  dentrifice  that 
is  scientifically  conceived,  and,  in  my  experience, 
dependably  effective. 

Dental  Floss  and  Toothpicks.  I  have  spoken 
elsewhere  of  the  use  of  dental  floss  as  being  pre- 
ferable to  the  employment  of  wooden  or  quill 
toothpicks — and  infinitely  less  likely  to  injure  the 
delicate  gingival  tissues.  I  need  only  repeat  a 
word  of  caution  in  reference  to  the  tendency  of 
many  to  use  the  floss  carelessly  and  roughly, 
wounding  the  gum  structures,  and  causing  more 
or  less  profuse  bleeding — a  process  which  favours 
amazingly  the  development  of  pyorrhoea. 

The  Benefits  of  the  Toothbrush.  There  have 
208 


Tooth  Brushes 

been  many  attempts  lately  to  inveigh  against  the 
time  and  tradition -honoured  bristle  toothbrush. 
In  a  recent  editorial  in  the  Journal  of  the  Indiana 
State  Medical  Association,  the  objection  was 
raised  that  the  toothbrush,  as  ordinarily  employed, 
with  its  stiff,  sharp  bristles,  not  only  produces 
unnecessary  injury  to  the  gums,  but  that  it  is  in 
itself  a  filthy,  unsanitary,  and  unhealthful  toilet 
article. 

It  was  argued  that  a  rubber  brush,  or  a  rubber 
finger  cot,  with  fine  rubber  projections,  but  blunt 
and  soft  enough  to  be  free  from  the  possibility  of 
injuring  the  tissues — and  above  everything  else, 
capable  of  being  kept  sterile — should  take  the 
place  of  the  ordinary  toothbrush. 

This  has  not  been  my  experience.  I  am  still 
old-fashioned  enough  to  believe  that  a  toothbrush 
with  bristles  sufficiently  stiff  to  remove  the  food 
debris  from  between  the  crevices  of  the  teeth,  and 
yet  not  harsh  enough  to  cause  abrasion  of  the 
gum  tissues,  is  the  ideal  cleansing  implement  for 
dental  use. 

The  Anatomically  Constructed  Toothbrush.  I 
have  found  the  prophylactic  toothbrush,  with  its 
pointed  bristle  tufts,  admirably  adapted  for  this 

J3  209 


Teeth  and  Health 

purpose.  For  it  is  anatomically  constructed  to  fit 
all  the  dental  curves,  and  to  reach  every  angle  and 
crevice  around,  between,  and  behind  each  tooth. 

The  correct  use  of  this  brush,  following  the 
careful  use  of  dental  floss,  I  am  convinced,  will 
effectually  remove  food  particles  which  otherwise 
might  be  left  to  putrefy  and  start  decay. 

The  tuft  on  the  end  of  the  brush  penetrates 
between  the  teeth,  where  ordinary  flat  or  curved 
brushes  might  merely  "hit  the  high  spots."  And 
the  curved  handle  of  the  brush  helps  in  this  good 
work. 

How  to  Brush  the  Teeth.  The  teeth  should 
always  be  brushed  "longitudinally" — from  the 
gum  margins  to  the  points  of  the  teeth,  below  and 
above,  inside  and  outside;  and  then  brush  later- 
ally— but  carefully,  so  as  not  to  irritate  the  gum 
tissues. 

Many  authorities  advocate  that  after  using  a 
toothbrush,  it  be  dipped  in  common  table  salt, 
and  the  salt  left  on  the  brush  to  dry.  This,  they 
claim,  prevents  the  decay  of  any  food  particles 
that  may  be  caught  between  the  close  bristles  of 
the  brush.  Also  the  small  amount  of  salt  left  in 
the  brush  after  rinsing,  and  before  using  again, 

210 


Chewing  Gum 

helps  somewhat  to  harden  the  gums,  and  asepti- 
cize the  gum  tissues. 

I  am  not  partial  to  this  method  of  preserving 
food  debris  from  decay,  for  it  is  infinitely  better 
to  consume  these  products  and  get  rid  of  them. 

This  is  done  when  an  oxygen-generating  tooth 
powder  is  used,  as  the  oxygen  developed  by  its  con- 
tact with  water  effects  the  "oxydation  reduction" 
• — or  burning  up — of  these  food  particles  which 
might  otherwise  decay  in  the  brush,  and  become  a 
source  of  possible  infection  if  the  gum  tissues  are 
lacerated  by  the  bristles. 

Don't  be  Afraid  of  Chewing  Gum.  One  of  the 
outstanding  facts  in  connection  with  the  modern 
conception  of  tooth  preservation  is  the  increasing 
use  of  chewing  gum  by  our  adult  and  juvenile 
population. 

It  is  certain  that,  from  infancy  off,  many  of  us 
have  drifted  into  the  "pap  "  habit,  eating  largely  of 
those  foods  that  can  be  taken  with  a  spoon  and  on 
the  run.  This  explains  why  a  perfect  set  of  teeth 
is  almost  unknown  among  modern  Americans. 

In  the  days  when  we  ate  plenty  of  roughage — 
when  we  were  forced  to  chew  our  food  before  we 
dared  attempt  to  swallow  it — we  had  teeth  like 

211 


Teeth  and  Health 

rocks.  For  we  gave  them  plenty  of  exercise.  We 
strengthened  the  muscles  of  mastication.  We 
stimulated  the  normal  secreting  power  of  the  sali- 
vary glands.  And  we  insured  for  the  starchy  ele- 
ments of  our  food  an  adequate  supply  of  ptyalin — 
the  starch-converting  ferment — lacking  which  the 
starch  cannot  be  properly  digested. 

How  Chewing  Gum  Prevents  Dyspepsia.  Thou- 
sands of  the  most  aggravated  cases  of  fermenta- 
tive dyspepsia — with  the  gas  formation  and  lactic 
acid  development  which  accompanies  this  very- 
prevalent  condition — have  their  origin  in  this  die- 
tetic crime  of  "pap"  feeding  and  food  bolting. 

And  this  condition,  in  its  turn,  is  the  father  and 
mother — as  well  as  the  grandparents  on  both  sides 
of  the  house — of  headaches,  insomnia,  nervous 
troubles  of  all  kinds,  constipation  and  auto-in- 
toxication, and  a  whole  flock  of  distressing  symp- 
toms that  sometimes  lead  to  really  grave  systemic 
disorders — such  as  rheumatism,  kidney  disease, 
blood  pressure,  and  other  organic  conditions. 

It  is  for  this  reason  that  physicians  and  dentists 
now  quite  universally  recommend  gum  chewing 
— in  addition  to  the  more  careful  mastication 
of  the  food — as  an  aid  to  securing  a  better  and 

212 


Chewing  Gum 

more  complete  conversion  of  the  starches  into 
dextrin. 

It  has  been  found  that  this  has  a  more  definite 
effect  in  overcoming  these  digestive  troubles  than 
any  amount  of  the  diastatic  ferments,  which  used 
to  be  prescribed  as  an  aid  to  the  relief  of  all  these 
obstinate  troubles.  And  a  package  of  gum  is 
much  easier  to  take  than  a  bottle  of  diastase. 

Gum  Chewing  Aids  Tooth  Nutrition.  Also, 
dentists  have  found  that  the  exercise  of  gum 
chewing  brings  about  a  better  nutrition  of  the 
teeth,  for  the  reason  that  the  act  of  masticating 
a  piece  of  gum  forces  the  stagnant  blood  out  of 
the  spongy  structures  surrounding  the  teeth,  and 
provides  a  better  quality  of  nutrition  from  the 
fresh  blood  brought  to  these  vascular  structures. 

The  cleansing  action  of  the  gum  in  the  inter- 
stices of  the  teeth,  and  on  other  parts  of  the  teeth 
not  readily  reached  by  the  toothbrush,  is  a  defi- 
nite benefit  to  these  organs,  helping  to  keep  them 
free  from  the  accumulation  of  micro-organisms 
and  fermenting  particles  which  might  lodge  in  the 
crevices'  between  the  teeth,  and  cause  their  decay. 

So,  good  chewing  gum  is  excellent  for  bad  di- 
gestions. It  discourages  the  activities  of  harmful 

213 


Teeth  and  Health 

germs,  which  might  otherwise  take  a  lease  on 
favourable  niches  in  the  dental  structures.  And 
it  affords  an  effective  system  of  calisthenics  for 
teeth  and  gums  that  otherwise  might  deteriorate 
from  an  insufficient  amount  of  proper  exercise. 

Prevents  Gas  Formation.  Therefore,  while  the 
ruminant  habit  may  not  be  commendable  from 
an  aesthetic  standpoint,  it  is  far  less  objectionable 
than  a  perfectly  terrible  breath;  or  the  constant 
belching  of  gas ;  or  the  manifold  evils  that  accom- 
pany digestive  deficiencies. 

It  is  a  habit  that  may  have  a  pronounced  effect 
in  increasing  our  mental  and  physical  efficiency. 
And  any  habit  that  increases  our  efficiency,  and  de- 
creasfes  our  deficiency,  is  a  habit  that  is  well  worth 
shaking  by  the  hand,  and  inviting  to  a  reserved 
seat,  right  down  in  front,  next  to  the  jazz  drummer. 

Fruit  Acid  Beneficial.  Also,  the  use  of  fruit  or 
fruit  juices  after  a  meal  is  held  by  many  to  be  an 
effective  help  in  preventing  tooth-decay.  For  the 
acid  coagulates  the  mucin  films;  while  the  in- 
creased flow  of  saliva  tends  to  prevent  these  films, 
and  the  tartar  which  frequently  originates  in  them, 
from  forming — at  least,  until  they  can  be  brushed 
away. 

214 


Fruit  Acids  Beneficial 

Dr.  Harry  C.  Barnard,  Chairman  of  the  Food 
Division  of  the  American  Chemical  Society  says: 

An  apple  eaten  in  the  evening  will  mechanically 
and  chemically  clean  the  teeth,  and  protect  them  from 
bacterial  ravages  in  the  night,  when  the  most  damage 
is  done. 

I  am  convinced  that  there  is  much  truth  in 
Dr.  Barnard's  observation,  and  that  the  adoption 
of  the  practice  of  apple  eating  cannot  fail  to  have 
a  beneficial  influence  on  the  teeth. 

What  the  Dentists  and  the  Public  Owe  the 
Dental  Manufacturer.  And,  hand  in  hand  with 
the  progress  of  dentistry,  has  gone  the  perfection 
of  the  means  whereby  the  dentist  has  applied  his 
technique.  For  without  the  marvellous  devices 
which  cunning  mechanics  have  conceived  and 
constructed,  and  lacking  the  improved  means  of 
tooth-care  and  tooth-repair  which  the  canny  manu- 
facturer has  evolved,  the  dentist  of  today  would 
be  hardly  more  advanced  in  his  art  than  was  his 
brother  of  the  time  of  Horace  Wells  and  Simpson. 

It  is  to  the  dental  manufacturer,  as  well  as  to  the 
dentist,  that  the  great  public  of  the  world  is  in- 
debted for  deliverance  from  what  has,  through  all 

215 


Teeth  and  Health 

the  harried  years  of  recorded  time,  been  consid- 
ered among  the  most  frightful  of  physical  experi- 
ences— the  ordeal  of  the  dentist's  chair. 

From  the  crudest  and  most  primitive  appliances 
have  been  evolved  the  delicate,  almost  human  in- 
struments that  bring  the  blessed  surcease  of  relief 
to  countless  millions. 

And  so,  I  believe  the  great  good  accomplished 
by  the  dentist,  and  the  skilful  artisan  who  has 
made  his  work  possible,  will  live  after  them,  while 
the  halting  efforts  by  which  they  gained  their 
heights  of  achievement  will  be  interred  with  their 
bones. 


216 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE  DENTAL  DISPENSARY  IN  INDUSTRY 

IT  needs  no  ghost  returned  from  the  tomb  to 
tell  us  that  a  man  cannot  wholeheartedly  nurse  an 
aching  tooth  with  one  hand  and  run  a  power-lathe 
with  the  other.  Nor  can  even  the  most  conscien- 
tious girl  accord  polite  attention  to  a  customer 
while  a  refractory  molar  is  stabbing  her  brain  into 
frenzy  with  pain  impulses. 

Hence,  perhaps  the  most  important  and 
thoroughly  constructive  innovation  of  modern 
times  is  the  establishing  of  dental  infirmaries,  in 
connection  with  industrial  enterprises.  For  the 
service  rendered  in  these  clinics  not  only  amelio- 
rates active  pain,  but  prevents  conditions  which, 
if  untreated,  might  subsequently  develop  grave 
physical  disorders,  resulting  from  the  absorption 
into  the  system  of  products  of  tooth  and  gum 
decay. 

In  fact,  the  benefits  arising  from  the  installation 
217 


Teeth  and  Health 

of  these  units  are  now  so  obvious  as  to  excite  the 
universal  query,  "Why  in  thunder  didn't  we  do 
this  before?" 

An  Enterprise  of  Mutual  Benefit.  The  out- 
standing feature  of  the  arrangement,  however,  is 
that  it  benefits  the  employer  quite  as  much  as  it 
helps  the  employee.  For  it  is  merely  a  matter  of 
a  little  arithmetic  to  figure  that  if  relief  from 
toothache  or  from  some  acute  dental  condition 
can  be  secured  by  a  visit  to  a  competent  dentist 
right  on  the  spot,  a  saving  of  several  hours  can  be 
affected  which  might  ordinarily  be  consumed  in  an 
appointment  with  a  busy  dentist  in  general  prac- 
tice. This,  entirely  apart  from  the  immense 
saving  in  dental  fees  to  tooth-harried  employees. 

In  fact,  one  large  industrial  enterprise  which  has 
recently  installed  a  free  dental  dispensary  for  its 
employees,  has  figured  that  from  January  i,  1918, 
to  August  I,  1918,  the  time  saved  by  men  who  had 
work  done  at  the  dental  dispensary  amounted  to 
an  aggregate  of  25,300  work  hours. 

Twenty-five  Thousand  Three  Hundred  Dollars 
Saved  to  Employees  of  One  Plant.  It  is  calculated 
that  a  visit  to  an  outside  dentist  consumes  an 
average  of  four  hours.  The  time  spent  in  the 

218 


The  Dental  Dispensary  in  Industry 

"immediate  attention  service"  at  the  plant  is 
not  deducted  by  the  company.  Therefore,  the 
saving  to  employees  whose  minimum  wage  is  one 
dollar  per  hour  amounts  to  $25,300. 

If  this  huge  sum  was  saved  the  employees,  it 
is  only  fair  to  assume  that  the  employers  saved 
an  even  larger  amount — making  of  the  enterprise 
a  profit-sharing  venture  of  unquestioned  value. 
This  further  implies  that  the  spirit  engendered  is 
spread  to  the  home,  and  through  the  community 
in  which  the  operatives  live.  All  of  which  fosters 
an  infinitely  better  "feeling" — resulting  in  the 
undertaking  becoming  a  definite  social  asset. 

So  this  welfare  work  is  one  of  the  most  signi- 
ficant movements  of  modern  times.  It  is  being 
adopted  as  an  efficiency  measure  by  many  of  the 
leading  industrial  organizations  throughout  the 
country.  And  the  time  saved,  the  higher  degree 
of  physical  efficiency  secured,  and  the  splendid 
increase  in  the  morale  of  the  employees,  is  making 
the  venture  a  noteworthy  one. 

The  Work  of  the  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance 
Company.  The  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance 
Company,  with  its  twenty-six  thousand  employees, 
has  been  one  of  the  first  in  this  field.  It  has  re- 

219 


Teeth  and  Health 

cently  been  made  a  ruling  in  this  Institution  that 
every  Home  Office  employee  shall  undergo  a 
dental  examination,  and  a  thorough  cleaning  of 
the  teeth  twice  a  year. 

If  the  services  of  the  family  dentist  are  preferred 
by  the  employee,  such  examination  and  cleansings 
by  him  will  be  accepted,  provided  they  are  pro- 
cured without  expense  to  the  corporation — the 
employee  furnishing  from  this  dentist  a  satisfac- 
tory certificate  that  the  required  work  has  been 
done. 

The  Dental  Dispensary  of  the  Metropolitan 
Life  is  furnished  with  the  latest  type  of  dental 
apparatus,  and  maintains  a  superintending  dentist, 
five  assistants,  an  X-ray  specialist,  and  seven 
lady  attendants — all  employed  on  full  time. 

This  dispensary  was  established  in  July,  1915, 
and  has  proved  one  of  the  most  valuable  assets  to 
the  medical  department.  A  small  charge  is  made 
for  services,  to  defray  actual  cost  of  material  and 
overhead,  which  amounts  to  an  average  charge 
for  each  patient  of  approximately  $2.33  per  year. 

How  the  Dental  Infirmary  Saves  Lives.  The 
life  conservation  value  of  the  work  can  be  better 
appreciated  when  it  is  remembered  that  during 

220 


The  Dental  Dispensary  in  Industry 

the  year  1917,  fifty-two  deaths  were  traceable 
among  industrial  policy-holders  to  infections,  orig- 
inating in  the  teeth  and  gums. 

These  conditions  caused  blood  poisoning,  in- 
flammation of  the  membranes  of  the  brain,  in- 
flammation of  the  ear,  necrosis  of  the  bones  of  the 
jaws  and  head,  inflammation  of  the  lining  mem- 
brane of  the  heart,  derangements  of  the  stomach 
and  bowels,  and  joint  troubles  resulting  from 
"blind  abscesses,'*  pyorrhoea,  and  ulcerations  of 
the  gum. 

The  R.  K.  Le  Blond  Tool  Company  is  another 
of  fifty  odd  corporations  in  the  United  States 
which  operates  a  full-fledged  dental  clinic,  some- 
what along  the  lines  pursued  by  the  Metropolitan. 
The  inauguration  of  this  work  is  a  welfare  feature 
greatly  appreciated  by  the  workers,  in  addition  to 
being  a  distinct  benefit  to  the  company,  because 
of  a  more  uniform  attendance  of  operatives  at 
their  work,  as  well  as  in  the  maintenance  of  the 
good  health  which  is  essential  to  conscientious 
work. 

With  the  corporation  it  is  an  obvious  efficiency 
measure,  inasmuch  as  the  improved  nervous  force, 
and  the  decreased  number  of  hours  lost  because 

221 


Teeth  and  Health 

of  preventable  illness  makes  for  a  more  stable 
strength  among  employees — which  reacts  to  the 
mutual  benefit  of  both  employee  and  employer. 

Stop  Decay  before  it  Decays.  For  all  decay 
is  stopped  before  it  has  any  chance  to  do  perma- 
nent damage.  Consequently  there  is  no  loss  of 
time  from  work,  which  might  otherwise  be  caused 
by  toothache,  or  other  troubles  due  to  dental 
neglect. 

In  the  Dayton-Wright  Airplane  Company,  Dr. 
H.  D.  MillhofT,  the  dental  clinician,  since  January, 
1918,  has  saved  the  firm  an  average  of  21,031  hours 
in  the  labour  of  the  four  hundred  men  and  women 
employed  in  the  plant. 

Dr.  Millhoff  attends  frequently  as  many  as 
thirty-five  cases  of  toothache  and  toothitis  in  a 
single  morning's  work. 

Educational  Lectures  at  the  National  Cash 
Register  Company.  At  the  National  Cash  Regis- 
ter Company,  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  Dr.  H.  M.  Brewer, 
in  addition  to  dental  service,  gives  a  series  of  edu- 
cational lectures,  illustrating  the  benefits  of  oral 
hygiene,  and  the  advantages  of  periodical  dental 
prophylaxis. 

The  National  Lamp  Works  of  the  General 
222 


The  Dental  Dispensary  in  Industry 

Electric  Company,  employing  more  than  ten 
thousand  operatives,  is  among  the  foremost  in 
this  new  activity.  This  firm  furnishes  free  ser- 
vice to  all  employees.  Already  it  has  thirteen 
dental  dispensaries  in  successful  operation  at 
different  plants,  while  an  addition  of  five  more 
units  is  now  planned  for.  The  services  rendered 
by  the  Company  dentist  embrace  prophylactic  and 
emergency  work,  and  advice  on  dental  hygiene. 

It  is  the  concensus  of  opinion  among  the  execu- 
tives that  in  no  other  work  in  which  the  company 
is  employed  is  there  so  much  general  satisfaction 
felt,  or  more  immediate  return  shown.  In  fact, 
the  rapid  extension  of  the  number  of  units  is,  in 
itself,  evidence  of  the  profitableness  of  the  service. 

The  Constructive  Nature  of  the  Work.  Dental 
work  performed  for  this  class  of  patients — es- 
pecially in  the  field  of  prophylactic  or  preventive 
dentistry  and  mouth  hygiene — is  largely  outside 
the  field  of  profitable  dental  practice.  For  unless 
the  employees  were  attended  to  in  the  dispensary, 
they  would,  in  the  ordinary  course  of  events, 
receive  little  or  no  dental  attention. 

The  laity,  as  a  rule,  fail  to  appreciate  the  tre- 
mendous importance  of  tooth-decay,  and  its  direct 

223 


Teeth  and  Health 

influence  upon  physical  decay.  Therefore,  the 
work  of  the  industrial  dental  clinics,  in  driving 
home  these  facts,  and  in  removing  and  correcting 
these  conditions,  is  a  wonderful  step  in  the  direc- 
tion of  health  and  life  conservation  generally,  and 
a  national  asset  of  supremest  importance. 

A  Marvellous  Efficiency  Measure.  It  has  been 
estimated  that  it  costs  an  industrial  plant  any- 
where from  ten  to  three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars 
properly  to  educate  an  employee — depending  upon 
the  character  of  the  work  performed.  It  is  there- 
fore obvious  that  there  is  a  huge  balance  in  favour 
of  keeping  an  employee  physically  fit  for  his  work, 
rather  than  to  permit  him  to  become  incapacitated 
by  means  easily  preventable. 

There  are,  of  course,  no  accurate  figures  show- 
ing the  exact  saving  to  employers  and  employees 
through  this  service.  But  the  aggregate  of  this 
saving  has  been  computed  at  anywhere  from 
twenty  to  thirty  per  cent. — depending  upon  the 
character  of  the  work  performed,  and  the  average 
salaries  paid. 

The  expense  of  the  installation  and  operation  of 
these  units  varies  according  to  the  nature  of  the 
services  rendered.  The  cost  of  the  equipment 

224 


The  Dental  Dispensary  in  Industry 

runs  from  eight  hundred  to  twenty-five  hundred 
dollars  a  year.  Where  a  dentist  is  employed  on 
full  time,  the  salary  ranges  from  twelve  hundred 
to  four  thousand  dollars  a  year.  The  woman 
assistant  or  nurse  receives  a  salary  of  twenty  to 
thirty  dollars  a  week. 

The  Expense  to  the  Worker  only  Fractional. 

The  per  capita  expense  varies  from  eighty  cents 
to  three  dollars  or  even  five  dollars  per  annum — 
again  depending  upon  the  kind  of  service  rendered. 
Some  institutions  furnish  the  clinical  outfit  and 
pay  the  salaries  of  the  dentist  and  his  assistants, 
while  the  expense  of  the  material  used  is  divided 
between  the  firm  and  the  pension  or  welfare 
association. 

In  some  instances,  notably  that  of  the  Macy 
Mutual  Aid  Association,  and  the  joint  Board  of 
Sanitary  Control  for  members  of  the  International 
Ladies'  Garment  Workers  Association,  the  expense 
is  borne  entirely  by  the  employees. 

Many  institutions  furnish  tooth  powder  and  tooth 
brushes  free — while  subsequent  supplies  are 
charged  for  at  cost. 

Some  firms,  such  as  the  H.  J.  Heinz  Company — 
who  furnish  free  manicure  service  for  all  employees 
15  225 


Teeth  and  Health 

handling  food  stuffs — take  the  very  liberal  and 
intelligent  view  that  it  is  quite  as  important  for 
an  employee  to  have  a  clean  mouth — free  from 
pyorrhoea  and  focal  infections— as  that  he  or  she 
should  have  clean  hands. 

The  company,  therefore,  provides  the  services 
of  a  dentist  to  insure  this  commendable  condition 
of  cleanliness  among  its  employees — merely  as  a 
good  business  investment. 

Caring  for  the  Kiddies.  Many  companies,  as 
for  instance,  the  Colorado  Fuel  &  Iron  Company, 
the  Williams-Pocahontas  Coal  Company,  the 
Jenkins jones  Fuel  Company,  and  others,  maintain 
dispensaries,  which  supply  service  to  the  children 
of  employees,  and  to  the  school  children  located 
in  the  mining  camps.  It  was  found  that  ninety- 
eight  per  cent,  of  these  children  were  in  need  of 
dental  attention. 

The  constructive  effects  of  such  a  service  can 
only  be  appreciated  by  those  who  have  made  a 
study  of  the  grave  physical  and  mental  defects 
which  may  and  do  develop  as  a  result  of  dental 
neglect.  As  a  factor  in  the  health  and  life  con- 
servation of  the  coming  generation,  the  value  of 
this  altruistic  service  is  almost  incalculable.  In 

226 


The  Dental  Dispensary  in  Industry 

fact,  it  may  truly  be  said  that  the  interest  which 
is  being  exhibited  by  great  industrial  organizations 
in  every  part  of  the  country  in  this  splendid  work 
bids  fair  to  be  one  of  the  most  important  contribu- 
tions to  preventive  medicine  ever  undertaken. 

It  is  to  be  sincerely  hoped  that  the  scope  of  this 
work  may  be  amplified,  and  that  the  inauguration 
of  this  service  may  be  extended — until  every  con- 
siderable manufacturing  and  industrial  plant  in  the 
country  will  maintain,  as  an  integral  part  of  its 
equipment,  a  clinic  in  which  the  dental  and  medical 
welfare  of  employees  will  be  a  factor,  dictated  by 
policies  of  head  and  heart. 


227 


CHAPTER  XVII 

FREE  DENTAL  CLINICS — THE  COUNTRY'S  GREATEST 
NEED 

FIVE  years  ago,  the  city  of  Bridgeport,  Con- 
necticut, inaugurated  a  system  of  dental  hy- 
giene in  its  public  schools.  Last  May  Bridgeport 
checked  up  its  results. 

The  first  thing  noted  was  that  the  cost  of  re- 
educating children  who  had  failed  of  promotion  to 
higher  grades — which,  in  1912  had  been  42%  of 
the  school  budget — fell  to  17% — which  was  an 
actual  saving  of  money  to  the  tax-payers,  who  pay 
the  bills,  of  more  than  59%. 

Decay  of  the  teeth  in  fifteen  thousand  children 
was  reduced  by  one  third.  If  it  were  for  nothing 
else  than  the  item  of  suffering  alone  which  this 
innovation  prevented,  this  result  would  prove  the 
experiment  worth  while. 

Fifty  Per  Cent,  of  Failures  Prevented.  Fail- 
ure to  pass  examinations  for  promotions  were 

228 


Free  Dental  Clinics 

reduced  fifty  per  cent. — a  startling  gain  in  school 
efficiency. 

The  death  rate  from  scarlet  fever,  diphtheria, 
and  measles  was  reduced  more  than  seventy  per 
cent,  because  thousands  of  decaying  areas  and 
foci  of  infection  had  been  cleaned  out  of  the  mouths 
of  these  school  children. 

During  the  influenza  epidemic  of  1918,  the  death 
rate  in  Bridgeport  was  the  lowest  of  any  city  of 
its  population  in  the  United  States — in  large 
measure,  because  of  the  increased  resistance  to 
disease,  built  up  by  oral  prophylaxis. 

Favourable  Experience  Universal.  This  ex- 
periment of  Bridgeport  is  relatively  duplicated 
wherever  dental  hygiene  has  been  generally 
adopted  in  schools.  So  hundreds  of  schools,  all 
over  the  country,  have  now  established  dental 
clinics,  in  most  of  which  attendance  is  made 
compulsory. 

And  invariably  the  reports  show  that  after  these 
clinics  have  been  in  operation  for  a  long  enough 
period  to  warrant  a  test  of  comparison,  marked 
improvement  is  manifest  in  both  the  mental  and 
the  physical  condition  of  pupils. 

If  they  Can't  Assimilate  Food,  they  Can't  As- 
229 


Teeth  and  Health 

similate  Knowledge.  In  fact,  it  is  only  obvious 
that  children  who  are  unable  properly  to  assimi- 
late food — owing  to  decayed  teeth,  or  no  teeth— 
or  to  defective  vision,  adenoids,  or  diseased  ton- 
sils— are  terribly  handicapped  in  assimilating 
knowledge,  no  matter  how  expensive  the  school 
building  may  be  in  which  this  knowledge  is  dis- 
pensed, nor  how  carefully  chosen  the  teaching 
staff. 

It  is  greatly  to  the  credit  of  the  dental  and  the 
medical  profession,  that  in  almost  every  part  of 
the  country  they  are  eagerly  co-operating  in  this 
work  of  oral  hygiene — as  carried  on  for  the  benefit 
of  school  children. 

The  Greatest  Social  Need  of  the  World  Today. 
There  is  no  doubt  in  my  mind  but  that  this  is 
the  very  greatest  social  need  of  the  world  today. 
It  is  a  constructive  work — a  work  that  will  accom- 
plish more  for  health,  comfort,  and  efficiency  than 
any  other  activity — civil,  ethical,  or  philanthropic 
— that  ever  came  down  the  Pike  of  Time. 

And  when  the  majority  of  tax-payers  in  the 
country  have  been  converted  to  this  fact,  and  act 
accordingly,  a  new  era  of  physical,  mental,  and 
moral  progress  will  dawn  for  Americans. 

230 


Free  Dental  Clinics 

Give  Children  the  Same  Chance  we  Now  Give 
Bugs  and  Pigs.  Indeed,  it  would  seem  only  ra- 
tional to  believe  that  a  government  which  has 
spent  millions  to  save  the  valuable  lives  of  hogs, 
to  find  bugs  that  would  eat  large  numbers  of  other 
bugs,  or  to  stamp  out  foot  and  mouth  and  intes- 
tinal disease  in  cattle,  might  take  some  slight 
human  interest  to  overcome  infection,  decay,  and 
degeneration  in  the  most  important  of  all  crops — 
our  children  crop. 

In  most  municipalities  of  this  country  it  is 
required  that  children  be  vaccinated  before  being 
permitted  to  attend  school.  And  yet,  in  most 
parts  of  the  country,  there  is  not  the  slightest 
attention  paid  to  children  whose  breath  is  a  blight, 
who  smear  pus  all  over  the  neighbourhood,  who 
are  septic  from  top  to  toe — and  mostly  from  con- 
ditions which  have  their  origin  in  the  oral  cavity. 

The  Famous  Forsyth  Dental  Infirmary.  Among 
the  most  progressive  of  all  the  institutions,  incor- 
porating departments  of  oral  hygiene,  is  the  splen- 
did Forsyth  Dental  Infirmary,  of  Boston.  In 
their  annual  Report,  recently  published,  there  is 
no  more  important  item  than  that  which  demon- 
strates the  hope  of  the  directors  and  trustees  to 

231 


Teeth  and  Health 

continue  to  reduce  the  age  limit  at  which  children 
shall  be  admitted  for  treatment  by  the  Infirmary. 
In  the  beginning  of  their  work,  the  average  age 
at  which  children  were  eligible  for  oral  attention 
was  twelve  years.  This  was  later  reduced  to 
eight  years.  But  it  is  now  planned  to  reduce  the 
age  still  lower — to  five  or  six  years.  The  Report 
reads : 

If  the  child's  mouth  is  thoroughly  looked  after  at 
the  age  of  six  years,  the  work  is  preventive ;  but  if  the 
child's  mouth  is  not  inspected  until  it  is  eight  years 
or  older,  the  work  becomes  reparative,  because  the 
sixth- year  molars  have  already  gotten  in  their  deadly 
work. 

How  They  Do  it  at  Rochester.  At  the  splendid 
Rochester  Dispensary — founded  by  Mr.  George 
Eastman,  of  Kodak  fame — there  has  never  been 
an  age  limit.  Children  have  been  brought  in  for 
treatment  as  early  as  eighteen  months  of  age. 

It  has  been  noted  that  children  of  even  three  or 
four  years  of  age,  are  losing  or  have  lost  their 
entire  temporary  set  of  teeth — due  in  large  meas- 
ure to  the  so-called  "white  decay."  The  only 
treatment  outside  of  reparative  attempts  in  these 
cases  consists  in  changing  the  diet  of  the  children — 

232 


Free  Dental  Clinics 

recommending  their  parents  to  put  them  on  whole 
wheat  bread,  and  other  tooth-  and  bone-forming 
foods,  so  as  to  aid  Nature  to  build  tooth  structure 
for  the  permanent  teeth  that  are  coming  in. 

But  it  is  only  a  Drop  in  the  Bucket.  However, 
splendid  as  is  the  work  of  the  few  dental  clinics 
that  have  already  been  established,  the  number 
of  children  who  can,  at  present,  enjoy  the  advan- 
tages of  such  work,  is  pitifully  small — as  compared 
with  the  total  number  of  children  in  every  part 
of  the  country  who  stand  sadly  in  need  of  such 
treatment. 

The  surface  of  such  need  has  only  been 
scratched,  and  the  supply  of  dental  clinics  and 
skilled  workers  to  operate  them  is  frightfully 
inadequate. 

How  School  Lectures  Help.  School  lecturers  in 
oral  hygiene  are  also  doing  a  splendid  work  in 
familiarizing  children  with  the  dangers  of  tooth- 
decay  and  tooth-rot.  But  this  work  is  only  in 
its  infancy.  It  needs  to  be  expanded,  until  every 
school  in  the  country  can  have  the  advantage  of 
these  inspiring  and  helpful  lectures. 

In  this  connection  it  might  be  mentioned  that 
Colgate  &  Co.,  and  possibly  other  dental  manufac- 

233 


Teeth  and  Health 

turers  also,  are  doing  a  praiseworthy  and  result- 
bringing  piece  of  work. 

They  maintain,  so  I  am  informed,  a  corps  of 
well  equipped  lecturers,  who  constantly  travel 
about,  delivering  lectures  on  mouth  hygiene  in  the 
schools  throughout  the  country. 

These  lectures  are  interesting  and  highly  in- 
formative, and  afford  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
children  an  opportunity  to  become  familiar  with 
the  grave  dangers  of  oral  neglect,  and  the  corre- 
spondingly great  benefits  to  derived  from  proper 
and  persistent  care  of  the  teeth  and  gums. 

The  Dental  Nurse—God  Bless  her!  School 
nurses  and  prophylactic  nurses  are  also  doing  a 
useful  and  indispensable  work  in  health  education. 
But  here,  as  with  school  lectures  and  dental  clinic 
facilities,  the  results  are  only  fragmentary — as 
compared  with  the  vast  total  of  the  work  that 
remains  to  be  done. 

Why  Dentistry  Doesn't  Hurt  much  Nowadays. 
One  of  the  greatest  aids  to  the  popularizing  of 
modern  dentistry  is  the  fact  that  progressive  manu- 
facturers of  dental  equipment,  patient  laboratory 
chemists,  and  careful,  conscientious  dentists  have 
— all  working  together  —  evolved  a  system  of 

234 


Free  Dental  Clinics 

dental  technique  which  robs  dental  work  of  its  old- 
time  horror,  and  renders  tooth  operations  com- 
paratively painless. 
Nitrous  Oxide  and  Oxygen  Analgesia.     One 

method  that  is  employed  successfully  by  many 
dentists  is  the  "nitrous  oxide  and  oxygen  anal- 
gesia" method.  By  the  inhalation  of  this  gas, 
dentists  are  operating  on  patients  sitting  wholly 
conscious  in  their  chairs,  yet  completely  insensible 
to  pain. 

The  appliance  for  administering  the  vapour  con- 
sists of  an  elaborate  arrangement  of  metal  cylin- 
ders, shining  gauges  and  valves,  rubber  bags,  and 
a  tube  that  terminates  in  a  cup  made  to  fit  over 
the  nose.  By  adjusting  this  tube  and  breathing 
through  the  nostrils  the  mixture  is  inhaled.  Six 
to  eight  inhalations  bring  on  a  tingling  sensation 
in  the  extremities,  somewhat  similar,  only  infi- 
nitely more  mild,  than  that  which  follows  slight 
electrical  contact. 

It  Won't  Work  on  All  Patients.  Not  all  pa- 
tients, however,  can  be  controlled  in  the  analgesic 
stage.  These  are  kept  under  complete  anaesthesia, 
sometimes  for  an  hour  and  a  half.  Some  have 
been  unconscious  for  five  hours  at  a  time.  But 

235 


Teeth  and  Health 

the  absolute  safety  of  the  measure  can  be  better 
realized  when  we  remember  that  dogs  have  been 
kept  completely  anaesthetized  with  nitrous  oxide 
and  fifteen  per  cent,  of  oxygen  for  three  days 
successively,  without  any  harmful  results. 

The  percentage  of  fatality  is  computed  as  one 
in  a  million.  This  is  the  more  remarkable  in 
that  nitrous  oxide  and  oxygen  has  probably  been 
administered  in  scores  of  thousands  of  cases  by 
unskilled  operators,  while  ether  and  chloroform 
are  usually  given  by  skilled  anaesthetists.  Dr. 
Laird  Nevious  has  given  the  gas  almost  one  hun- 
dred thousand  times  without  an  accident,  and  Dr. 
Andrews  (the  first  to  use  it)  has  never  seen  an 
unfavourable  result. 

It's  Better  to  Have  the  Gases  Warmed. 
Certain  valves  liberate  the  oxygen  and  nitrous 
oxide  into  the  "mixing  chamber."  Here  the  gases 
are  warmed  to  body  temperature.  Their  ordinary 
temperature  is  about  20°  Fahrenheit,  or  12°  below 
the  freezing  point,  and  in  prolonged  operations 
the  thermometer  sometimes  settles  to  10°. 

This  accounts  for  the  irritating  properties  that 
erroneously  used  to  be  charged  against  the  anaes- 
thetic itself.  From  the  mixing  chamber  the  com- 

236 


Free  Dental  Clinics 

pound  is  discharged  into  rubber  bags  connected 
with  the  nasal  inhaler.  The  origin  of  this  anal- 
gesia ("analgia"  as  some  call  it)  is  a  golden  leaf 
from  the  brilliant  pages  of  dental  progress.  The 
story  runs  thus: 

Since  the  introduction  of  anaesthetics,  it  was 
believed  and  taught  that  it  was  improper  and 
dangerous  to  perform  surgical  operations  before 
narcosis  (complete  unconsciousness)  had  been  in- 
duced. Even  to  operate  during  the  stage  of  light 
anaesthesia  was  not  permitted;  nothing  short  of 
deep  unconsciousness  was  tolerated. 

How  Dr.  Hewett  Pulled  his  Own  Tooth.  So 
when  first  the  tidings  winged  haltingly  over  the 
Atlantic  that  Sir  James  Young  Simpson,  in  his 
clinics  at  Edinburgh  Hospital,  was  using  chloro- 
form to  dull  the  keen  pains  of  child-birth,  Dr. 
Austin  T.  Hewett,  of  Chicago,  conceived  the  idea 
that  the  merciful  fumes  might  be  equally  valuable 
in  dentistry.  Procuring  a  supply  of  chloroform 
from  London,  at  a  cost  almost  ruinous  to  his 
slender  means,  he  began  to  experiment  on  animals 
with  it. 

It  happened  that  at  this  time  he  was  suffering 
from  an  abscessed  upper  incisor  tooth.  So  he 

237 


Teeth  and  Health 

took  several  inhalations  of  the  chloroform  vapour, 
and  in  that  state  of  drowsiness  which  he  afterwards 
called  "obtundure,"  he  forced  a  lance  against  that 
part  of  the  gum  covering  the  root  of  the  tooth. 

When  he  withdrew  the  instrument,  he  found 
much  to  his  amazement,  that  the  point  had  pene- 
trated a  quarter  of  an  inch  or  more,  and  no  particle 
of  discomfort  had  been  experienced.  He  then  took 
his  courage  in  both  hands,  carefully  adjusted  a 
pair  of  forceps  over  the  incisor,  breathed  deep  of 
the  sweet  pungency,  and  pulled  his  own  tooth — 
absolutely  without  pain! 

This  was  the  first  surgical  operation  ever  per- 
formed under  analgesia  (if  we  except  the  mandra- 
gora  and  poppy  of  the  ancients)  and  the  first 
operation  performed  under  chloroform  in  America. 

But  it  Took  Almost  Fifty  Years  to  Get  it  gener- 
ally Introduced.  Naturally,  Dr.  Hewett  was  en- 
thusiastic; but,  like  every  medical  or  surgical 
innovation,  dental  analgesia  met  with  a  sceptical 
and  frigidly  discouraging  reception.  Hewett  con- 
tinued to  advocate  and  employ  chloroform  in  his 
dental  and  surgical  practice  for  more  than  fifty 
years,  operating  under  every  possible  condition 
with  "surgical  analgesia,"  omitting  only  four  or 

238 


Free  Dental  Clinics 

five  of  the  gravest  and  most  complicated  general 
operations  for  which  he  used  the  anaesthetic  state. 

But,  except  for  the  support  of  a  few  pioneers, 
the  practice  met  with  scant  favour.  It  is  only 
within  a  few  years  that  analgesia  has  achieved 
general  recognition.  In  fact,  it  is  still  in  the 
swaddling  clothes  period,  so  far  as  any  extensive 
use  is  concerned. 

Abraham  Lincoln  Used  it.  Dr.  Wolf,  of  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.,  relates  that  some  time  after  the 
"Hewett  method"  had  been  introduced,  a  tall, 
raw-boned,  awkward  man,  with  a  sad  face  and  a 
kindly  eye,  came  to  his  office  to  have  a  tooth 
extracted. 

Just  as  the  doctor  was  about  to  operate,  the 
stranger  said:  "Wait  a  moment,  please";  drew 
from  his  pocket  a  small  vial,  removed  the  cork, 
and  inhaled  deeply  of  a  volatile  substance  for  a 
minute.  "Now  you  may  proceed,"  he  said,  and 
opened  his  mouth. 

The  tooth  was  removed  painlessly.  The  sub- 
stance was  chloroform;  the  patient,  Abraham 
Lincoln. 

"Laughing  Gas."  Six  years  later  (1868),  Dr. 
Andrews  of  Chicago  added  pure  oxygen  to  "N2O," 

239 


Teeth  and  Health 

as  dentists  and  surgeons  prefer  to  call  the  laugh- 
ing gas,  and  attempted  to  perfect  a  certain,  safe 
method  of  producing  analgesia.  The  results  were 
fairly  satisfactory,  considering  the  crudeness  of 
his  invention;  but  the  profession  still  held  coyly 
aloof  from  the  new-fangled  device. 

Until,  thirty  years  later,  Dr.  Charles  Teter,  of 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  began  experimenting  with  the 
gases,  and  devised  a  contrivance  for  scientifically 
administering  definite  percentages  of  nitrous  oxide 
and  oxygen,  thereby  enabling  the  operator  to 
analgesize  the  patient,  or  to  carry  him  into  deep 
and  prolonged  surgical  anaesthesia,  at  will. 

As  to  the  comparative  merits  of  nitrous  oxide, 
chloroform,  and  ether  narcosis,  the  American 
Medical  Association  reports  that,  as  a  routine 
anaesthetic,  nitrous  oxide  and  oxygen  has  a  pecu- 
liar value,  and  in  the  hands  of  skilled  anaesthetists 
the  method  is  the  best  yet  devised. 

Preventing  Surgical  Shock.  We  know  that  in 
surgery  the  function  of  an  anaesthetic  is  to  inhibit 
pain;  but  really  its  chief  and  most  important  ac- 
tion is  to  prevent  "shock."  For  shock  is  the  grim 
factor  that  bludgeons  most  victims  of  anaesthetics 
out  of  existence. 

240 


Free  Dental  Clinics 

No  surgeon  would  now  think  of  performing 
painful  instrumentation  without  employing  an  an- 
aesthetic to  prevent  this  shock.  And  if  surgical 
shock,  why  not  dental  shock?  Operations  made 
by  the  dentist  in  his  everyday  practice  are  equally 
as  severe  as  scores  of  minor  measures  for  which 
the  surgeon  employs  narcosis.  Exhaustion  of  the 
nerve  centres,  rather  than  the  amount  of  struc- 
ture involved,  is  what  produces  shock;  and  be- 
yond certain  limits,  it  is  dangerous  to  submit  even 
the  robust  to  intense  pain. 

Why  you  Feel  "all  Used  up"  after  a  Painful 
Dental  Session.  After  prolonged  dental  seances 
the  nerve  cells  become  exhausted.  A  condition 
that  might  be  called  dental  fatigue  supervenes — a 
state  of  the  system  that  borders  upon  collapse  or 
shock.  In  fact,  it  may  be  said  to  differ  from  shock 
only  in  degree. 

And  who  among  us  has  not  experienced,  on 
leaving  the  chair,  that  "all  gone,  completely  used 
up  "  feeling?  How  many  possess  that  Spartan  for- 
titude which  enables  them  to  return  without  dread 
and  anxiety  for  another  siege  with  those  grim- 
looking  little  instruments. 

How  the  Japanese  Used  to  Do  it.  And,  touch- 
16  241 


Teeth  and  Health 

ing  this  question,  it  is  interesting  to  remember 
that  the  physics  of  shock  were  advocated,  and  to 
some  extent  used,  in  tooth  extraction,  prior  to  the 
introduction  of  analgesia. 

The  method  commonly  employed  was  for  a 
patient  to  lie  prone  upon  the  floor — an  able-bodied 
individual  on  either  side  of  him.  At  a  given  sig- 
nal he  was  quickly  swung  to  a  standing  position. 
The  head  was  raised  more  rapidly  than  the  blood 
could  follow  it,  and  this  produced  a  temporary 
anaemia  of  the  brain,  resulting  in  a  fainting  spell. 
During  the  few  moments  in  which  the  victim  was 
unconscious,  the  tooth  was  dragged  forth. 

The  Japanese  employed  Jiu-jitsu  tricks  for  the 
same  purpose.  They  produced  insensibility  by 
suddenly  compressing  the  artery  in  the  neck  (the 
carotid)  between  the  thumb  and  finger.  This  was 
very  dangerous,  because  if  the  force  happened  to 
be  applied  too  vigorously,  the  patient  neglected 
to  wake  up. 

This  is  not  the  case  with  modern  methods. 
Hundreds  of  thousands  of  pain -deadening  opera- 
tions are  made  every  year,  without  the  slightest 
untoward  results. 

Procaine,  the  New  Anaesthetic.  The  method 
242 


Free  Dental  Clinics 

which  has  perhaps  most  general  use  nowadays, 
however,  is  the  "local" — with  cocaine,  novocaine 
(or  procaine,  to  call  it  by  its  non -German  name). 

The  latter  anaesthetic  is  now  being  used  by  the 
foremost  surgeons  in  Europe  and  America  for 
many  operations  which,  before  the  introduction  of 
this  anaesthetic,  were  performed  under  cocaine, 
ether,  or  chloroform.  It  is  a  perfectly  wonderful 
local  anaesthetic,  much  more  powerful  than  co- 
caine, and  seven  times  less  poisonous. 

This- anaesthetic  is  distinctly  local  in  its  action. 
No  ill  effects  follow  its  use,  when  administered  by  an 
expert.  It  does  not  produce  soreness  nor  sloughing 
of  any  kind ;  while  it  protects  completely  against  all 
sensation  of  pain — no  matter  how  sensitive  the  teeth 
— and  while  the  patient  is  wide  awake  and  thor- 
oughly conscious  of  everything  that  is  going  on. 

Injected  Directly  into  the  Main  Nerve.  Aston- 
ishingly successful  results  have  been  secured  by 
the  practice  of  injecting  the  local  anaesthetic  di- 
rectly into  the  main  nerves  which  supply  the  teeth 
— after  the  technique  introduced  in  1914. 

Eighty  Million  Extra  Teeth  Every  Year.  There 
are  upwards  of  eighty  million  artificial  teeth  made 
in  this  country  every  year,  each  one  of  which  goes 

243 


Teeth  and  Health 

to  replace  a  tooth,  which,  with  proper  care,  might 
have  lasted  a  lifetime. 

This  is  the  crime  of  carelessness,  the  neglect  of 
the  natural.  There  is  no  excuse  for  it,  except 
ignorance.  And  soon,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  we  shall 
no  longer  have  even  this  excuse. 

When  this  day  arrives,  men  and  women  will 
demand  and  receive  dental  attention  as  they  now 
demand  and  receive  any  other  form  of  prophylac- 
tic attention.  And  when  they  do  this,  the  Golden 
Age  of  Humanity  will  have  been  ushered  in — and 
a  very  considerable  source  of  suffering,  crippledom, 
and  life-shortening  will  be  banished  forever  to  the 
limbo  of  the  cruel  things  that  were. 


244 


NOTE 

THE  human  document  contained  in  the  follow- 
ing pages  was  written  by  a  patient  of  mine,  and 
printed  in  the  May,  1918,  issue  of  the  American 
Magazine.  It  is  republished  from  the  American 
Magazine  at  his  suggestion,  and  through  the 
courtesy  of  the  editors  of  the  Magazine. 

My  patient's  experience  is  typical  of  that  of  thou- 
sands of  other  men  and  women  who  suffer  from  ob- 
scure diseases  that  apparently  baffle  diagnosis. 

Such  people,  while  seeking  diligently  to  deter- 
mine the  cause  of  their  troubles,  neglect  a  thorough 
inquiry  into  the  condition  of  their  teeth — and  so 
remain  unhealthy,  unhappy,  and  discouraged. 

It  is  my  hope  that  this  very  human  story  may 
fall  into  the  hands  of  someone  who  will  read  in 
the  experience  of  the  writer  of  this  article  a  re- 
petition of  his  own  experience,  and  may,  by  its 
message,  thus  perhaps  discover  his  way  back  to 
health. 

245 


Teeth  and  Health 

The  editors  of  the  American  Magazine  tell  me 
that  this  article,  when  printed,  elicited  a  tremen- 
dous flood  of  inquiry  and  that  permission  to  repro- 
duce it  has  been  granted  to  a  number  of  dental 
magazines,  and  to  dentists  in  various  parts  of  the 
country.  I  am  sure  that  every  physician,  and  all 
of  my  fellow-practitioners,  as  well  as  thousands 
among  the  laity  who  are  interested  in  the  matter 
of  increasing  the  health  and  efficiency  of  their 
fellow-men,  will  rejoice  in  its  wider  circulation, 
incorporated  in  this  little  book,  as  a  contribution 
to  popular  knowledge. 

THOMAS  J.  RYAN,  D.D.S. 

511  FIFTH  AVENUE, 
NEW  YORK  CITY. 


246 


HOW  I  FOUND  HEALTH  IN  A  DENTIST'S 
CHAIR 

THIS  is  the  first  time  in  sixteen  years  that  I  have 
allowed  myself  to  talk  about  my '  'symptoms. ' '  Sixteen 
years  ago,  after  a  great  specialist  had  assured  me  there 
was  "nothing  organic  the  matter"  with  me,  I  made  up 
my  mind  that  however  much  my  ill  health  might  spoil 
my  own  life,  it  should  not  spoil  the  lives  of  others. 

I  am  breaking  that  resolution  because  I  think  I  have 
discovered  what  is  the  matter  with  half  the  people  of 
the  world,  who  without  being  sick  are  more  or  less  con- 
stantly depressed  and  troubled  with  pains  that  are  not 
"organic"  and,  therefore,  apparently  beyond  medical 
help.  I  believe  I  can  describe  the  symptoms  of  at  least 
a  million  men  and  women  in  these  United  States  who 
will  recognize  in  my  story  a  counterpart  of  their  own. 

I  come  of  moderately  well-to-do  parents.  My  an- 
cestors on  both  sides  lived  wholesome,  self-respecting 
lives.  None  of  them  passed  away  much  before  eighty. 
How  it  could  come  about  that  I  should  "enjoy  poor 
health"  seemed  a  mystery. 

I  passed  through  the  usual  succession  of  children's 
diseases  in  mild  form,  and  except  for  them  I  cannot 
remember  ever  having  had  the  ministrations  of  a 

247 


Teeth  and  Health 

physician  in  my  first  fifteen  years.  I  can  remember 
being  taken  by  my  mother  to  the  dentist  when  I  was 
six  years  old. 

Long  before  this  I  had  been  initiated  into  the  use  of 
the  toothbrush — so  long,  in  fact,  that  it  seems  almost 
that  I  must  have  been  born  with  a  toothbrush  in  the 
place  of  the  traditional  silver  spoon.  I  feel  it  neces- 
sary to  set  this  down,  partly  out  of  justice  to  my 
parents,  and  partly  because  I  understand  that  a  late 
medical  theory  ascribes  all  tooth-decay  to  lack  of 
oral  cleanliness.  I  am  the  living  proof  that  this 
theory  will  not  hold  water. 

I  can  recall  my  first  appointment  with  a  city  den- 
tist clearly  enough,  even  to  the  very  words  he  spoke. 
I  opened  my  mouth,  he  poked  his  instrument  here 
and  there  for  a  brief  minute,  and,  turning  to  my 
mother,  in  accusing  tones  he  said  to  her: 

"Mrs.  Elkins,  there's  a  pile  of  work  to  be  done." 

He  began  by  pulling  three  teeth.  Six  or  seven  years 
of  hard,  conscientious  brushing  out  of  eleven  years  of 
life — and  this  was  the  reward. 

It  was  during  these  years  of  my  early  teens  that  I 
first  remember  a  certain  deficiency  of  vitality,  a  lack 
of  endurance  that  left  me  tired  and  ready  to  go  home 
and  to  bed  while  other  fellows  were  still  fresh.  It 
was  not  sufficiently  pronounced  to  be  noticeable  to 
my  people,  nor  to  handicap  me  at  school. 

So  I  made  my  way  up  through  high  school  and  into 
business,  living  a  virtuous  and  more  or  less  unhappy 
life.  I  had  everything  that  ought  to  make  a  man 
happy — a  good  home,  congenial  work,  and  the  ap* 

248 


Found  Health  in  a  Dentist's  Chair 

pearance  of  splendid  health.  Indeed,  I  have  never  lost 
that  appearance:  it  seems  to  be  one  of  the  curiosities 
of  a  condition  like  mine  that  a  man  can  look  the  per- 
fect picture  of  health  while  feeling  utterly  miserable. 
Knowing  this,  I  often  wonder  what  tragedies  are  hid- 
den behind  rosy  cheeks  and  eyes  almost  clear. 

My  trouble  was,  first  of  all,  that  I  was  never  really 
rested.  I  slept  fairly  well,  but  I  would  get  up  in  the 
morning  almost  as  tired  as  when  I  went  to  bed.  My 
wife  sometimes  leaps  to  the  floor  and  stretches  her 
arms  above  her  head  to  greet  the  new  day,  and  ex- 
claims, "  I  could  eat  the  world !"  I  have  never  in  my 
whole  life  felt  that  way.  Generally  I  have  risen  rather 
blur-eyed  with  a  kind  of  grim  resolve  to  make  my 
strength  equal  to  the  day's  burden,  somehow  or  other. 
And  many  a  morning  I  have  lain  on  my  pillow,  watch- 
ing the  rays  of  the  sun  push  their  way  through  the 
window  and  spread  and  dance,  and  have  pictured  the 
sunlight  as  a  kind  of  implacable  enemy. 

Usually  this  tired  feeling  would  pass  off  by  the  time 
I  had  eaten  breakfast,  and  I  would  reach  my  office 
with  a  fair  amount  of  energy  and  determination  for 
the  job.  But  after  an  hour  or  two  all  that  energy 
would  have  used  itself  up  and  I  would  be  down  to 
mere  nerve  again.  It  was  as  though  Nature  had  given 
me  a  man's  size  body,  and  a  brain  for  a  man's  size 
job,  but  had  equipped  me  with  a  reservoir  that  would 
hold  only  a  child's  energy. 

My  people  had  never  believed  much  in  doctors.  I 
complained  to  them  once  or  twice  about  my  feelings, 

249 


Teeth  and  Health 

and  they  brushed  the  complaint  aside  as  being  a 
product  of  an  unduly  active  imagination.  They  had 
no  time  or  money  to  squander  on  the  health  of  a  boy 
who  cost  as  much  to  feed  as  I  did  and  who  looked 
so  perfectly  well. 

We  had  moved  from  the  city  to  a  suburb,  and  our 
new  dentist,  a  conscientious  young  fellow,  was  honestly 
concerned  at  the  way  in  which  my  teeth  persisted  in 
going  to  pieces,  in  spite  of  all  his  care  and  my  vigorous 
consumption  of  tooth  powder  and  washes.  He  asked 
me  questions  about  my  health,  and  sought  by  putting 
litmus  paper  in  my  mouth  to  determine  whether  the 
saliva  was  acid  or  alkaline.  So  far  as  I  could  see, 
there  was  no  reaction  visible  on  the  paper;  but  he 
believed  that  there  was  something  the  matter  with 
my  stomach  which  caused  an  acid  condition  in  the 
mouth. 

My  people  listened  to  his  report,  though  they  had 
paid  no  attention  to  my  own;  and  on  his  suggestion  I 
was  taken  to  doctors  of  various  sorts. 

Looking  as  well  as  I  did,  I  received  a  superficial 
examination,  a  slap  on  the  back,  and  an  injunction 
to  get  more  fresh  air  in  my  lungs,  drink  more  water, 
and  think  less  about  my  health.  So  my  youth  passed, 
and  manhood  came  to  me,  and  found  me  with  several 
hundred  dollars'  worth  of  dental  work  in  my  mouth, 
a  tired  body,  a  chastened  spirit,  and  a  conviction  that 
I  suffered  from  some  disease  such  as  no  man  had 
ever  had  before,  since  the  doctors  seemed  unable  to 
locate  it.  I  even  thought  in  those  days  of  willing  my 
body  to  a  hospital,  in  order  that  an  autopsy  might 

250 


Found  Health  in  a  Dentist's  Chair 

be  performed  and  the  obscure  disease  discovered  and 
charted. 

Many  men  who  start  out  in  life  with  frail  constitu- 
tions grow  strong  and  hearty  between  the  years  of 
twenty  and  thirty,  so  I  cherished  a  latent  hope  that 
my  experience  might  be  of  this  character.  My  early 
twenties  passed,  however,  with  no  visible  improve- 
ment. I  got  on  in  business  reasonably  well,  but  I  was 
far  below  real  efficiency.  I  limited  myself  rigidly  as 
to  pleasures  and  even  as  to  human  contacts. 

Every  conversation  with  another  man,  every  meet- 
ing of  any  kind,  involves  the  expenditure  of  a  certain 
amount  of  energy.  There  must  be  thousands  of  men 
and  women  in  the  world  who  bear  the  reputation  of 
being  unsocial  and  unresponsive  whose  fault  lies 
in  the  fact  that  they  simply  have  not  the  health  to 
be  otherwise. 

As  my  income  increased  and  I  began  to  have  money 
of  my  own  to  spend,  the  impulse  would  come  to  me 
occasionally  to  try  what  some  new  doctor  might  do. 
I  remember  one  such  impulse  especially,  because  it 
was  born  of  a  violent  love  affair.  I  met  the  young 
lady  at  a  summer  resort.  We  paddled  on  the  lake 
after  supper  and  talked  of  many  things,  and  among 
others  of  sports.  She  asked  me  what  games  I  had 
played  at  school,  whether  I  had  been  good  at  football, 
and  whether  I  didn't  simply  adore  golf.  It  was  dark, 
but  even  under  the  friendly  covering  of  night  I  could 
not  summon  courage  to  lie.  I  had  to  confess  that  I 
was  not  much  on  sports,  and  the  confession  cost  me 
bitterness  such  as  only  youth  can  know.  At  that 

251 


Teeth  and  Health 

moment  I  determined  that  I  would  be  well  if  it  took 
all  the  money  I  could  earn  in  a  lifetime. 

The  following  day  I  made  my  way  back  to  the  city 
and  started  on  my  profitless  round.  I  visited  first  a 
doctor  whose  reputation  was  known  throughout  the 
city  as  a  diagnostician.  It  was  his  business  to  find 
out  the  hidden  diseases  that  escape  the  probing  of  less 
expensive  men.  I  told  him  my  whole  story — how  I 
had  been  "born  tired"  apparently,  and  how,  without 
being  really  sick,  I  was  never  wholly  well. 

He  went  over  me  carefully,  I  will  say  that  for 
him ;  and  when  he  concluded  his  examination,  he  said 
sharply : 

"Nothing  organic  the  matter  with  you.  You've 
overworked;  you're  nervously  tired;  you  haven't  re- 
serve power  enough  to  carry  you.  The  thing  for  you 
to  do  is  to  see  a  good  nerve  man.  A  man  like  Coburg, 
for  instance.  I'll  give  you  a  card  to  him;  he'll  fix 
you  up  in  short  order,  if  I'm  not  mistaken." 

So  I  journeyed  to  Coburg,  who  rolled  back  my  eye- 
lids and  looked  at  my  pupils,  tapped  my  knees  with 
a  little  hammer  to  see  how  my  "reflexes"  responded, 
asked  me  questions  of  various  sorts,  and  concluded 
by  giving  me  a  prescription  for  two  kinds  of  tonic, 
and  a  suggestion  that  I  see  an  eye  man. 

I  felt  a  good  deal  encouraged  after  my  visit  to  that 
nerve  man.  He  is  one  of  the  two  or  three  leaders  in 
this  field  in  America;  the  prescriptions  which  he  gave 
me  were  very  expensive,  which  increased  my  faith  in 
their  potency;  and,  finally,  his  suggestion  about  an 

252 


Found  Health  in  a  Dentist's  Chair 

eye  specialist  sounded  promising.  When  the  eye  man 
gravely  informed  me  that  he  had  located  a  "slight 
astigmatism"  and  that  I  must  wear  glasses,  I  could 
have  leaped  for  joy. 

The  hope  that  sprang  into  my  heart  after  my  visits 
to  these  three  very  great  and  costly  men  vanished 
rapidly,  leaving  me  sunk  even  lower  in  the  slough  of 
despond.  Until  then  there  had  been  some  possibility 
that  wiser  doctors  would  discover  trouble  where  the 
general  practitioners  had  failed.  Now  I  had  been  to 
the  very  best  men,  and  they,  too,  had  found  nothing. 
There  was  no  use  in  hoping  further;  the  only  thing 
left  was  a  dull,  dead  determination  to  stick  it  out  and 
to  do  a  man's  work,  with  health  or  without  it. 

All  the  world,  as  someone  has  said,  is  divided  into 
two  classes — those  who  have  rheumatism  and  those 
who  are  going  to  have  it.  It  was  a  year  ago  last 
spring  that  I  had  my  first  visit  from  the  common  ene- 
my of  mankind.  Only  a  preliminary  twinge  in  my 
right  knee,  but  it  was  enough  to  plunge  me  into  gloom. 

It  was  while  I  was  in  this  state  of  mental  depression 
that  I  ran  into  a  friend  at  the  club  who  had  been  a 
notorious  sufferer  from  muscular  rheumatism,  and 
was  amazed  to  find  him  apparently  well. 

"Those  baths  must  be  great  things,"  I  said,  for 
I  knew  he  had  been  buried  in  mud  for  a  month. 

"They're  all  right,"  he  replied;  "but  it  wasn't 
baths  that  did  it  for  me.  It  was  teeth." 

"Teeth!"  I  exclaimed,  "What  do  you  mean? 
Teeth  cause  rheumatism?" 

253 


Teeth  and  Health 

"Among  many  other  things  that  they  cause,  rheu- 
matism is  not  the  least.  There's  hardly  anything 
they  don't  cause,  as  doctors  have  just  discovered." 

"That  sounds  crazy  enough  to  me,"  I  said.  "Why, 
look  at  me!  I  have  rheumatism,  and  I've  been  to  a 
dentist  twice  a  year  regularly  ever  since  I  was  six 
years  old." 

"Ever  have  your  teeth  X-rayed?"  he  asked. 

"No." 

"Well,  take  my  advice  and  go  and  do  it.  Do  it 
this  afternoon." 

I  spent  that  afternoon  in  the  office  of  a  dental 
X-ray  specialist  who  does  nothing  but  photograph 
jaws  all  day  long.  When  about  four  o'clock  he  handed 
me  the  films  on  which  my  oft-filled  teeth  were  pictured, 
he  looked  at  me  with  surprise  mingled  with  something 
almost  like  pity. 

"I've  kept  a  duplicate  set  of  these,"  he  said.  "I 
want  to  show  them  at  our  dental  society.  To  look 
at  you,  one  would  suppose  you  are  perfectly  well, 
yet  these  pictures  uncover  trouble  enough  to  have 
put  a  horse  to  bed." 

"But  I've  never  neglected  my  teeth,"  I  exclaimed; 
"I  must  have  a  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  dental 
work  in  them  this  minute.  What  do  you  advise?" 

"I  advise  you  to  take  those  pictures  to  the  best 
dentist  in  the  city,"  he  answered.  "Have  him  open 
up  every  tooth  in  your  head  and  see  just  what  is  the 
condition  of  the  root.  Some  he'll  have  to  pull ;  others . 
he  may  be  able  to  save.  I've  noted  my  conclusions  on 
my  report ;  you  can  take  it  to  him  and  see  what  he  says." 

254 


Found  Health  in  a  Dentist's  Chair 

I  hunted  up  the  best  dentist  in  New  York.  His 
prices  were  twice  as  high  as  any  I  had  paid  before,  but 
when  he  began  work  I  realized  why  they  were  high. 
There  may  be  a  lot  of  bluff  in  the  learned  professions ; 
there  may  be  isolated  cases  where  lawyers  and  doctors 
and  dentists  are  charging  exorbitant  fees,  not  because 
they  have  unusual  ability  but  because  they  have 
unusually  high  rent.  There  doubtless  are  some  such 
cases,  I  say,  but  my  experience  has  been  that  where 
a  man  is  getting  big  money  for  his  work  it  is  generally 
because  he  knows  a  whole  lot  more  than  the  man 
who  is  doing  the  same  work  for  less. 

All  my  life  I  had  been  paying  for  what  I  supposed 
was  first-class  dental  work,  only  to  discover  now  that 
it  was  so  imperfect  as  to  be  the  root  of  all  my  trouble. 
Crowns  in  my  mouth  were  leaking  and  secreting 
food  that  formed  poisons;  root  canals,  as  the  X-ray 
showed,  had  been  only  partially  filled,  resulting  in 
abscesses.  There  were  at  least  six  so-called  blind 
abscesses  at  the  roots  of  my  teeth — called  blind  be- 
cause their  presence  was  not  indicated  by  any  external 
swelling,  and  could  be  discovered  only  by  the  X-ray. 
Yet  any  one  of  them  was  draining  sufficient  poison 
into  my  blood  to  corrupt  my  whole  system. 

Scratch  your  finger;  let  a  dentist  infect  it  with 
even  a  tiny  particle  of  pus,  and  it  will  swell  and  fester. 
What,  then,  must  be  the  effect  of  pus  continually 
generated  and  constantly  being  drained  into  the 
system  from  a  half-dozen  infected  teeth? 

It  is  not  pleasant  to  talk  about;  and  I  need  not  go 
into  any  further  detail.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  I  had 

255 


Teeth  and  Health 

every  crown  in  my  mouth  removed,  every  dead  tooth 
opened  up  and  re-treated  (four  could  not  be  treated 
and  had  to  be  pulled),  and  new  work  put  in  from  start 
to  finish,  every  bit  of  it  checked  and  tested,  as  we 
went  along,  by  the  X-ray. 

That  was  two  years  ago,  almost,  and  from  the 
day  that  the  work  was  completed  until  now  I  have 
never  had  the  slightest  touch  of  rheumatism.  I  eat 
more  heartily,  sleep  better,  and  have  far  more  vitality 
and  joy  in  living  than  ever  before  in  my  life. 

A  woman  came  to  my  dentist  while  I  was  being 
treated.  She  suffered  from  neuralgia.  There  were  no 
cavities  in  her  teeth  apparently,  and  she  had  been 
examined  by  various  physicians,  none  of  whom  could 
locate  the  cause  of  her  trouble.  I  saw  the  dentist 
take  an  X-ray  of  her  teeth  on  the  side  of  her  face 
where  the  pain  occurred,  and  watched  him  develop  it. 
There,  as  plain  as  day,  lying  across  the  roots  of  three 
of  her  teeth  was  a  fourth  tooth  that  had  never  come 
through.  It  was  a  bad  job  removing  that  tooth,  but 
the  woman  has  had  no  trouble  since. 

A  man  in  an  office  near  mine  suffered  for  years  with 
his  eyes.  He  had  been  treated  by  a  first-class  special- 
ist, but  in  spite  of  everything  his  eyes  would  become 
terribly  inflamed  once  or  twice  a  year.  Finally,  as  a 
last  resort,  the  doctor  sent  him  to  a  dentist.  The 
X-ray  showed  that  four  of  his  teeth  were  causing  all 
the  trouble.  They  were  to  all  appearances  perfectly 
sound,  and  he  hated  to  lose  them.  But  he  has  no 
eye  trouble  since  they  came  out. 

Les  Darcy,  the  Australian  prize  ring  champion, 

256 


Found  Health  in  a  Dentist's  Chair 

came  to  this  country  as  a  perfect  physical  specimen. 
A  few  months  after  his  arrival  he  had  an  attack  of 
rheumatism.  He  was  taken  to  a  hospital,  examined, 
and  it  was  found  that  every  tooth  in  his  mouth  was 
decayed.  He  died  two  weeks  later. 

I  could  go  on  citing  instances  almost  without  num- 
ber. They  have  all  tended  to  form  this  conclusion 
in  my  mind:  If  I  were  called  upon  to  find  out  what 
was  the  trouble  with  a  railroad,  I  would  start  to  look 
first  at  the  terminal  and  freight  yards,  where  all  the 
traffic  enters  the  system,  and  if  I  were  ever  to  suffer 
from  ill  health  again  I  would  begin  first  to  inquire 
whether,  perhaps,  the  trouble  did  not  originate  in  my 
mouth,  where  all  the  food  and  air  that  get  into  my 
system  is  received.  Doctors  themselves  have  come 
only  recently  to  recognize  the  importance  of  the 
teeth ;  and  to  many  laymen  the  claims  that  are  made 
for  the  possible  effects  of  bad  teeth  must  seem  wildly 
exaggerated.  Who  could  imagine,  for  example,  a  pain 
in  the  knee  being  cured  by  the  extraction  of  a  bad 
molar?  Yet  I  know  just  such  a  case. 

Indeed,  I  am  ready  now  to  believe  almost  anything, 
having  proved  by  my  own  experience  that  one  may 
have  been  faithful  to  the  dentist  all  his  life,  and  yet 
find  under  the  X-ray  conditions  sufficient  to  cause 
any  disease  from  dyspepsia  to  housemaid's  knee.  If 
you  do  not  know  what's  the  matter,  and  if  tho  doctor, 
wagging  his  head  wisely  and  telling  you  that  there  is 
no  organic  trouble,  doesn't  know  what's  the  matter 
either,  go  and  get  your  teeth  X-rayed.  This  is  my 

257 


Teeth  and  Health 

advice;  it  cost  me  more  than  thirty  years  of  suffering 
and  hopelessness.  I  pass  it  on  in  the  faith  that  to 
many  others,  in  whom  hope  is  fast  evaporating,  it 
may  prove  a  guide  to  the  Promised  Land;  that  they 
may  discover,  as  I  did,  that  the  health  they  seek  is 
waiting  for  them  in  the  dentist's  chair. 


258 


INDEX 


Acid  fermentation,  83 
Acid  food,  65 
Adenoids,  94 
Albuminoids,  39 
Alkaline  mouth  wash,  200 
American  Magazine,  245 
Ammonia,  77 
Ammonol,  172 
Analgesia,  237 
Analgia,  237 
Anaemia,  130 
Anaemia,  pernicious,  126 
Angle,  Dr.  Edward  H.,  90 
Antiseptics,  205 
Appendicitis,  127 
Apples,  49 
Arteriosclerosis,  130 
Arthritis  defonnans,  125 
Artificial  teeth,  243 
Astigmatism,  134 


Baby's  teeth,  53  et  seq. 
Backward  children,  93 
Bacterial  vaccines,  119 
Baking  soda,  200 
Baldheadedness,  170 
Bananas,  49 
Barker,  Dr.,  126 
Barnard,  Dr.  Harry  C.,  215 
Beauty  lotion,  159 
Beauty  specialist,  158 


Beef  juice,  65 

Billings,  Dr.,  123,  139 

Binet-Simon  tests,  93 

Biting  exercise,  56 

Blackberries,  49 

Bladder  trouble,  183 

Bleeding  gums,  204 

Blind  abscesses,  178 

Blood    alkalinity    diminished, 

117 
Blood-vessel  degeneration,  129, 

149 

Boils,  159 

Bone  deformities,  61 

Boric  acid,  79 

"Breakfast  foods,"  24,  36 

Breast-fed  babies,  64 

Breast  feeding,  40 

Breathing,  96 

Blight's  disease,  117,  124,  126 

British  Dental  Association,  72 

Brown  sugar,  86 

Brushing  the  teeth,  14 

Buttermilk,  46 


Calcium,  24,  51 
Calcium  salts,  29 
Campho-phenique,  76 
"Candy  age,"  97 
Carbohydrates,  38 
Carbolic  acid,  205 
Carbuncles,  159 
Caries  (see  Dental  Caries) 


259 


Index 


CarreH,  Dr.,  202 

Castor  oil,  60 

Casein,  31 

Cautery  Point,  145 

Cell  salts,  25 

Cementum,  54 

Cheese,  49 

Chest  development,  105 

Chewing  gum,  212  ff. 

Chlorate  of  potash,  205 

Chlorate  of  potassium,  65 

Chlorazene,  202  ff. 

Chlorine,  37 

Chorea,  169 

Clabbered  milk,  46 

Cloves,  oil  of,  76 

Cocaine,  243 

Colds,  130 

Colon  bacillus,  132 

Cordes,  William,  73 

Cottage  cheese,  46 

Cotton,   Dr.   Henry  A.,    123, 

131.  H3 
Coughs,  130 
Cow's  milk,  40 
Culture  media,  206 
Curds,  39 


Dakin's  solution,  118,  158 
Dates,  49 
Davis,  Dr.,  123 
Dead  teeth,  181 
Deciduous  teeth,  55 
Dehydrated  vegetables,  49  el 

seq. 

Determinated  corn-meal,  36, 40 
Delinquents,  162 
Dental  arches,  93 
Dental  band,  53 
Dental  caries,  174 
Dental  clinic,  217 
Dental  dispensary,  217  el  seq. 
Dental  film,  207 
Dental  floss,  25,  79,  208 
Dental  manufacturers,  215 


Dental  nurse,  134 
Dental  pastes,  199 
Dental  placques,  154 
Devitalized  teeth,  1 15 
Diabetes,  117,  124 
Diarrhoea,  56 
Ductless  glands,  25 
Dunbar,  Prof.  L.  L.,  76 
Duodenal  ulcers,  124 
Dyspepsia,  130 

E 

Ear  trouble,  171 
"Eating  To  Live  Long,"  121 
Egyptian  mummy,  175 
Emetine,  120 
Epilepsy,  57,  166  el  seq. 
Epithelial  cells,  149 
Essential  oils,  205 
Eye  trouble,  170 


Fermented  milk,  46 

Figs,  49 

Fisk,  Dr.  Eugene  Lyman,  120, 

141,  160,  183 
FitzGerald,  Dr.  William    H., 

130,  145 

Fletcher's  carbolized  resin,  76 
Focal  infections,   123  ei  seq., 

I3I-I33,  182 
Forma-cresol,  144 
Foote,  Dr.  A.  Freedman,  72 
Forsythe  Dental  Infirmary,  71, 

231 

Free  dental  clinics,  228  et  seq. 
Fruit  acid,  214 
Fruit  juices,  47 


Gas  formation,  214 
Gastric  ulcer,  124 
Gastrointestinal  infection, 
Gelatine,  ao6 


260 


Index 


Germs,  116 

Gingival  inflammation,  112 

Gingival  tissues,  113 

Gout,  174 

Grape  fruit,  48 

Gritting  the  teeth,  82 

Gums,  56,  57  et  seq.,  111,122 

Gum  boil,  123 

H 

Hartzell,  Dr.,  141 
Haskin,  Dr.  William  H.,  184 
Hastings,  Dr.  T.  W.,  125 
Hatfield,  Dr.,  62 
Headache,  125,  172 
Heart  disease,  129 
Heart  symptoms,  140 
Hewett,  Dr.  Austin  T.,  237 
Hills,  Kathleen,  159 
Hobnail  liver,  126 
Homes,  Oliver  Wendell,  23 
' '  Home  treatment,  "174 
Hyatt,  Dr.  Thaddeus  B.,  181 
Hydrogen-dioxide,  59,  201 


Ill-fitting  crowns,  113 
Impacted  molar,  195 
Impacted  teeth,  70,  173 
Improperly    constructed    fill- 
ings, 113 

Improper  alignment,  12 
Incisors,  55 
Incorrigibles,  12 
Infected  teeth,  125 
Insanity,  94,  130 
Intestinal  disturbances,  54 
Intestinal  putrefaction,  54 
Iodine,  118 
Iron,  36,  63 
Irregular  teeth,  68,  71 


Jam,  51 

Japanese  tooth  pulling,  241 


Jiu  Jitsu,  242 

Joints,  inflammation  of,  125 

Juvenile  Court,  12 

K 

Kidney  disease,  151 
Kraepelin,  Prof.,  13 
Kumyss,  46 


Lactation,  33 
Lancing  gums,  60 
"Lantern  jaws,"  91 
Lateral  incisors,  55 
Laughing  gas,  239  ff. 
Lawton,  Dr.  James  A.,  194 
Life  Extension  Institute,  120, 

157,  182,  198 
Lime  salts,  84 
Lincoln,  Abraham,  239 
Listerine,  60 
Lime  starvation,  25 
Lip  biting,  102 
Liver,  125 
Lymphatic  circulation,  94 

M 

Macaroni,  49 

Magnesium,  37 

Malarial  poisoning,  174 

Malnutrition,  130 

Malocclusion,  109,  114, 

Manganese,  63 

Manhattan  Eye  &  Ear  Hos- 
pital, 184 

Mayo,  Dr.  C.  H.,  160 

Mazola,  30 

McCollum,  Dr.  E.  V.,  26,  61 

Meats,  24 

Membranous  bands,  54 

Meningitis,  56 

Menthol,  197 

Metropolitan  Life  Insurance 
Co.,  181,  219 


261 


Index 


Milhoff,  Dr.  H.  D.,  222 

Milk,  43  ff. 

Milk  of  magnesia,  43  ff.,  78, 

1 1 8,  2OI 

Milk  modification,  43  ff. 

Milk  sugar,  43 

44 Milk  teeth,"  18 

Miller,  Dr.,  128 

Mineral  salts,  26  ff.,  38  ff.,  86, 

87 

Mitchell,  Dr.  James  R.,  71 
Mixture,  the  41 1-2-3,"  120 
Molars,  55 
Mothers,  38 

Mother's  milk,  29  et  seq. 
Mounier,  Dr.,  170 
Mouth  bacteria,  128 
Mouth-breathing,  69 
Mouth  toilet,  80 
Mouth  washes,  198 
Mud  baths,  253 
Mucous  membrane,  105 


N 


Nervous  exhaustion,  136 
Neuralgia,  125,  171,  191 
Neuritis,  125 
Nitrous  oxide,  235 
Normal  occlusion,  70 
Northampton  clinics,  73 
Novocaine,  243 
Nursing  bottles,  59 
Nutritional  disturbances,  149 

O 

Odontalgia,  77 
4 'One-sided  chewing,"  75 
Oppenheim,  Dr.  Albin,  92 
Oral  hygiene,  113 
Oral  prophylaxis,  79,  199 
Orange  juice,  45,  47,  64 
Organic  phosphates,  36 
Orthodontia,  89  et  seq. 
Orthodontist,  19 
Oxygen,  nascent,  208 


"Pacifiers,"  74,  102 

Paralysis,  169 

Pasteurized  milk,  31 

Pathogenic  germs,  ill 

Peaches,  48 

"Pearled  barley,"  37 

Pellagra,  26 

Pepsin,  essence  of,  46 

Pericementum,  54 

4 'Period  of  greatest  decay,"  80 

Periosteum,  in 

Phagocytes,  165 

Phosphates,  24 

Phosphorous,  37 

Phosphorous  starvation,  25 

Pineapple,  49 

Polished  rice,  37 

Polypi,  94 

Poor  mastication,  68 

Porter,  Dr.  William  H.,  121, 

146,  172 

Potassium,  36,  48,  51,  63 
Procaine,  242 

Prophylactic  toothbrush,  164 
Proprietary  foods,  64 
Proteids,  38,  39 
Prunes,  49 

Psychological  tests,  15 
Pus,  in,  130 
Pyorrhoea,  70,  99,  109  et  seq., 

221 

R 

Ravitch,  Dr.  M.  L.,  127 
"Rabbit  face,"  100 
Raisins,  49 
Raspberries,  48 
Ream,  Dr.  Frederick  K.,  166 
Refined  sugar,  27  ff. 
Reflex  pains,  174 
Rheumatism,  124,  125,  133  ff., 

Rickets,  32,  61 

Riggs,  Dr.  Charles  H.,  189 


262 


Index 


Rochester  Infirmary,  232 
Roemer,  Dr.  J.,  190 
Roosevelt,  Col.  Theodore,  163, 

176 

Root  canals,  178,  179 
Rosenow,  Dr.,  123,  127,  128 


S 


Salads,  50 
Saliva,  113 

Sallow  complexion,  16,  137 
School  lectures,  233 
Sciatica,  173,  194 
Scurvy,  26,  63 
Secondary  foci,  126 
Sensitive  dentine,  78 


Septum,  105 
Serumal  calculi, 


Silica,  37 

Simpson,    Sir   James    Young, 

215,  237 
Sixth  year  molars,  72,  73,  97, 

98,  161 

Skin  eruption,  41,  59 
Sleep,  34 
Sodium,  36 
Soda  bicarbonate,  200 
Spaghetti,  49 
Spasms,  59 
Spinal  curvature,  70 
Steinberg,  Dr.  S.  I.,  127 
Stomatitis  blisters,  204 
Strawberries,  49 
Sugar,  24,  83  et  seq. 
Sulphur,  37 

Supernumerary  teeth,  81 
Syphilis,  174 


Tartar,  75,  117 
Teter,  Dr.  Charles,  240 
Tetter,  41 

"Therapy  zones,"  77 
Third  set  of  teeth,  81 


Thomas,  Dr.  K.  H.,  143 

Thumb-sucking,  74,  102 
Tic  Doloreaux,  71 
Tired  feeling,  249 
Tonsils,  127 
Toothache,  76 
Toothbrush,  79,  208 
"  Toothbrush  drills,"  198 
Tooth  conservation,  52 
Tooth  enamel,  85-113 
Tooth  pastes,  206 
Tooth-picks,  208 
Traumatic  injury,  109 
Tuberculosis,  117 

U 

Ulcerated  gums,  58  S. 
Undegerminated    corn    prod- 
ucts, 87 

Unpearled  barley,  87 
Unpolished  rice,  87 
Unsecured  oats,  87 
Upson,  Dr.  Henry  A.,  95 
Urine,  65 
Uterine  neuralgia,  173 


Van  Wincle,  Dr.  T.,  73 
Vitamines,  64 
Voice-production,  96 

W 

Wallin,  Dr.,  14 

Water,  41 

Water,  distilled,  42 

Weaning,  32,  34 

Wells,  Horace,  215 

Westlake,  Dr.  Albert,  35 

Whey,  45 

White  bread,  24,  36 

White  of  egg,  65 


263 


Index 


Whole  wheat  bread,  87 
"Whopper-jaw,"  101 
Woodyat,  Dr.,  123 


X-ray,   137,   156,   173,   176  et 
seq.,  184,  254  ff. 


X-ray  clinics,  179 
X-ray  diagnosis,  179 
X-ray  examination,  170 


Zone  therapy,  77,  186  et  seq 
Zoolak,  46 


264 


Jk  Selection  from  the 
Catalogue  of 

C.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS 


Complete  Catalogues  sent 
on  application 


Never  Grow  Old 


By 

L.  H.  Goizet 

Of  the  University  of  Paris 


An  eminent  physician,  85  years 
old,  enjoying  perfect  health,  due  to  the 
method  discovered  by  him,  gives  to  the 
world  that  which  in  his  case  has  proved 
unfailing,  and  quotes  many  successful 
examples  due  to  the  practice  of  his 
health  method. 

G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

New  York  London 


Let's  Be  Healthy  in 
Mind  and  Body 

By 

Susanna  Cocroft 

Tells  how  to  build  and  retain  health.    Physical 

efficiency  is  simply  constant  normal  action  of  the 
several  parts  of  the  body  in  a  harmonious  and 
concerted  plan.  Health  is  largely  a  matter  of  using 
intelligence  in  forming  correct  habits  of  eating, 
drinking,  bathing,  breathing,  resting,  and  regu- 
lar exercise.  It  tells  how  the  body  is  made ;  it  describes 
the  digestive  canal,  the  kidneys,  the  circulatory 
system,  the  lungs  and  respiratory  system,  the 
nervous  system  and  the  derangements  of  all  of  these. 
It  tells  about  heat,  cold,  and  proper  bathing; 
about  the  feet  and  their  care ;  the  importance  of  habit, 
and  the  necessity  of  replacing  bad  habits  with  good 
ones ;  of  cultivating  an  optimistic  frame  of  mind. 
It  shows  how  under  right  conditions  the  body  will 
direct  the  work  of  wasting  and  rebuilding  automati- 
cally, leaving  the  mind  and  spirit  free  for 
development  and  direction. 

G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

New  York  London 


What  to  Eat  and  When 


By 

Susanna  Cocroft 

Tells  all  about  the  problem  of  nutrition,  and  the 
importance  of  proper  foods;  the  purposes  of 
foods,  food  elements,  their  classification  and  the 
chemistry  of  foods.  It  tells  about  beverages  and 
condiments ;  poisoning  from  food,  the  preserva- 
tion and  adulteration  of  foods ;  heat  and  energy 
from  foods ;  the  repair  and  elimination  of  waste ; 
conditions  affecting  and  factors  influencing  di- 
gestion, such  as  season  and  climate,  age,  habit  of  eating, 
frequency  of  meals,  effect  of  exercise  and  breathing,  ven- 
tilation, fatigue,  sleep,  influence  of  the  mind,  and  effect  of 
circulation.  It  contains  suggestions  on  cooking  and 
treats  fully  the  extremely  important  question  of 
food  requirements  of  the  system,  giving  numerous 
tables  of  varied  rations  and  a  number  of  diets,  accord- 
ing to  occupation  and  to  conditions,  such  as  stomach, 
intestinal,  and  kidney  derangements,  nervous  disorders  and 
skin  diseases,  rheumatism,  leanness,  obesity,  and  conva- 
lescence. There  are  recipes  for  invalids  and  semi- 
invalids,  instructions  for  infant  feeding,  and  useful 
tables  of  measures  and  weights. 


G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

New  York  London 


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